P3P: Shinjiro's Resolution
by Skarrow
Summary: The SEES members are trapped in their dorm, & time has stopped. Truly, there are certain bonds that cannot be broken. Could Shinji ever hope to move on without "her"? Based on P3FES The Answer.
1. Beginning, Part 1

I don't own Persona 3, Persona 3 FES, or Persona 3 Portable.

WARNING! Serious spoilers for all three games, ideas borrowed from the very first Persona game, references to the first game, and a heavily implied love triangle.

A/N: I'll have to change the male MC's "The Answer" a little since this revolves around MShe, like who gets to have the Wild Card and who plays the green-eyed monster. Otherwise it's the same story. On YouTube, I checked out the "Character Endings" video and the guy who had the most dramatic lines was Shinji. That's when I thought: "Wow, Shinji's the only member who didn't get a resolution and an upgraded Persona."

At first I outlined the story so that Akihiko could take over Aigis' role in FES, since his Arcana, the Emperor, meant leadership. But after replaying The Answer I decided that he was too focused on the future and that if he became the leader, SEES would use the True Key to escape the Abyss without learning what happened to MShe. The character who would receive the Wild Card needs to be a balanced individual who can understand the workings of both sides, past and present, protecting everyone while struggling with his or her own inner demons.

So…Shinji will get the Wild Card.

March 31st, 2010  
Some time before the incident….

"…Oh, ok then. I'll tell the others," Ken Amada, the youngest member of the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad, said into his cellphone. He was still in elementary, but his skill with the spear more than made up for his short stature. The young SEES member had volunteered to call up some of the other members who hadn't arrived at the dorm for the farewell party yet.

"Right," Akihiko Sanada, Gekkoukan High's "Golden Boy", replied. He was a senior and one of the first Persona users in the group. Together with Mitsuru and one other person, they founded SEES. "By the way… is Mitsuru serious about transferring _her_ back to her room from the hospital today?"

"Yes," Ken said, his tone of voice nostalgic at the mention of their field leader. "In fact, she'll be arriving in half an hour."

"…That's good," Akihiko told him after a moment. "Even if it's only for a short while… _she'll_ be home with the others at the dorm, just like before… just like she promised."

Ken thought about what Akihiko just said. "Sanada-san? Are you sure you aren't going to make it? _She _would've liked it if you were here."

There was an uncomfortable pause.

"…Yes, I'm sure. Besides, I swore to myself last October that I wouldn't let stuff like this get me down," Akihiko answered carefully, confidently.

"All right then," Ken reluctantly agreed.

After saying goodbye, Ken hung up, punched a new number, and was about to press the 'call' button when something stopped him. _Why are you awake…while she's asleep?_

Ken pressed 'call' and held his cell to his ear.

* * *

His cellphone ring tone startled him out of his reverie. Scrambling to answer it, he accidentally dropped it on the marble floor. Muttering an obscenity, he answered with a brisk, "Hello?"

"Um, it's Ken," said the caller. "Mitsuru-sempai wants to know when you'll be getting back." Shinjiro Aragaki looked at his watch. "I just have one more thing to buy." It was a small lie. He had already finished his shopping and was just sitting down on one of the benches at the mall, doing nothing. "Why? Did she need me to buy something?"

"Yes. Mitsuru-sempai wants-" there was a pause "-a bag of Pheromone Coffee powder," Ken informed.

"From the grocery or from Chagall?"

"Chagall."

"Hn. Fine. Anything else?" Shinji asked, whipping out a piece of paper and a pencil from his coat pockets. "Hm…Fuuka-san needs black pepper," Ken continued.

Shinji made a mental note to himself to keep an eye on Fuuka Yamagishi while she cooked in the kitchen tonight.

Fuuka was the group's operator. Back then, it was Mitsuru who acted as support for SEES, but the shy computer-tech easily outmatched her. Since the battle with the Emperor and Empress Shadows, Fuuka has constantly fed the group vital information on their enemies, warned them of the presence of Guardian Shadows, cheered them on in battle, alerted them to who was knocked down and needed healing, provided an emergency escape route whenever Death was near, and even played some catchy background music while they explored.

"…And, that's all," Ken said. "So! Um… see you later, sempai."

"Right." Shinji hung up, put away his cell and sighed. He didn't feel like going back to the dorm anytime soon. What was the point of partying with them, anyways? He didn't have many important possessions in his room at the dorm, aside from some spare clothes. There were only three people he was really acquainted with among the members of SEES – There was Mitsuru, but it wasn't as if they were best buddies. Akihiko was his "best buddy", if you could call him that. Knowing him, he probably wouldn't even make it to the farewell party – he and Shinji shared a lot in that regard. But Shinji didn't feel like seeing him today.

Hell, he didn't feel like seeing _anyone _from SEES today.

Except for one member… the field leader. The third person he was close to. _Her_.

He wanted to see her so much, but at the same time he dreaded casting his eyes on her.

Because seeing her in this state – with her eyes closed, her breathing faint, and her skin so cold to the touch it felt like Death himself had dragged her soul away with him…seeing her like this was a constant reminder of his failures. She also had honey brown hair and ruby red eyes – it was the most obvious, yet illogical reason. Shinji could name two other pretty, bright, endearing girls with similar qualities….

Miki. Sweet, innocent Miki.

Both he and Akihiko had tried, even getting themselves wounded, to drag the girl's tiny body back to safety. But it was too late. She was so young, and several pieces of glass and debris had lodged into her chest. Miki's last words had been "Thank you", as if the boys had done enough.

Then there was Ken's mother.

When the burden of his Persona grew heavy, Shinji needed someone to talk to – and Mrs. Amada showered him with kindness only a mother could give. She was almost practically his surrogate parent. So when Mitsuru detected a Shadow in the residential area where that kind woman lived, Shinji was the first one on the scene to destroy it… but in the heat of battle Shinji had lost control of Castor and ended up fatally wounding the person he tried to protect. When he came to, she was almost dead. She had just enough strength to open her eyes a crack and thank him for trying to protect her.

When he rejoined SEES and picked up his Evoker for the first time in two years, he swore that he wouldn't let anyone die because of his weaknesses, and look what happened: yet another fragile, brown-haired girl had smiled at him and given him thanks.

* * *

Meanwhile, the other SEES members were gathered in the command room.

Mitsuru Kirijo was sitting at the head of the table in a comfortable leather armchair. She was the unofficial "club president" of SEES, and born into wealth. She was also the first known Persona-user with the "natural" potential. What's more, her own family, the Kirijo Group, was responsible for the whole Dark Hour affair.

Mitsuru looked expectantly at Fuuka and Ken for updates.

"Yukari-chan can't make it after all," Fuuka informed her and the others, clicking her cellphone shut, taking a seat on the couch next to Ken. "…Sanada-san says that he's busy at the gym… I doubt he'll make it in time, either," Ken added, looking at his friends.

Junpei Iori sighed dramatically. "Man, what's up with those two? The dorm's closing down today! We have so many memories of this place… They could at least see it off, right?" Last year, Junpei was the member whose personal opinions made the least sense. But after all the tough battles they've fought together, all the secrets they've unraveled and the death of Junpei's sweetheart, Chidori Yoshino, Junpei had mellowed and matured. He was more patient now, less selfish. He was braver and stronger, too.

Next to Junpei, sitting on the floor was Koromaru, the unique dog who could summon a Persona just like the others. He seemed to comprehend what Junpei just said because he bowed his head and his ears drooped. He whimpered softly.

Mitsuru smiled at Junpei in understanding. "It can't be helped… Yukari and Akihiko just see things differently. They've both started down their own chosen path… it's a good thing." "…You're right, sempai," Fuuka agreed, but at the same time her face showed her uncertainty.

"We can hardly blame them," Mitsuru continued, looking pointedly at her teammates. "These days, I seem to get busier and busier… If I didn't need to collect the last of our equipment here I probably wouldn't have made it either."

"So… today's the day we're finally gonna have to give up our Evokers and armbands, huh?" Junpei eyed the said equipment on the table. "I hate to let them go, but… it's not like I got a use for 'em anymore…." Suddenly feeling bored, he idly counted the Evokers aloud. "Let's see… two, four… w-wait, how many Evokers are there supposed to be?"

Suddenly, the Command room door opened, and Aigis, the anti-Shadow weapon they "recruited" last July, entered. Aigis was different than the other mechanical maiden models created before her in one important way – she experienced emotions just like a normal human, thanks to an incident at the Moonlight Bridge.

Aigis approached the table with an apologetic look on her face. "Mitsuru-san… I was unable to locate the last Evoker." "It's alright, Aigis. I actually anticipated that," Mitsuru replied matter-of-factly. "Indeed, I can think of one – no, two people who could have taken it."

Ken scratched his head, confused. "…Huh? You have an Evoker too, Aigis-san?"

"No," Aigis answered carefully. Unlike the other members, Aigis did not require an Evoker to summon her Persona – although she developed a human heart, she was still technically a robot – she had a "Persona Summoning Sequence" installed in her. "Mitsuru-san simply allowed me to hold on to "her" Evoker for safekeeping," Aigis explained to the young SEES member.

"…" Fuuka knew this, of course, but wisely chose not to comment on the matter.

"…" Mitsuru shifted slightly in her seat, aware of the sudden change in Ken.

"…!" Ken quickly looked down at his lap in a vain attempt to hide his facial expression from his sempai, pretending to be interested in his hands.

Junpei jerked in his seat, sensing the tension in the air. He cleared his throat a little too loudly and tried to break the awkwardness of the situation by saying, "H-hey, guys? D-don't get all gloomy again, I mean – c'mon! I don't think that's the way she wants this to end…."

Everyone glanced uncomfortably at Ken, who was still staring at his hands. Ken was one of the three SEES members who was the most affected by the situation their leader was in. Fuuka, who was sitting the closest to the young boy, could see the dark expression that had crept over his face and couldn't help but sympathize. Ken really looked up to their leader. Everyone in their group saw how attached he was. Yukari had even managed to convince Fuuka that he had a little crush on "her", too.

Which was why everyone in the room was slightly surprised when he raised his head to meet Junpei's gaze and smiled in chagrin. "I'm sorry…you're right," he conceded. But then something flickered in his eyes and was gone. "It's just that, I still wonder… why did this happen?" Ken continued, unintentionally revealing one of his deepest doubts to his friends. "The doctors didn't find anything wrong with her afterwards… it just seemed like she fell asleep, didn't it? ...She _will_ wake up, won't she?"

Fuuka folded her hands primly on her lap and considered her words before suggesting, "She probably used up all her power to protect us… at that last battle."

Aigis shook her head. "At the moment, it's useless to try and guess at the reasons why. However, I am certain she didn't blame anyone for what happened." She smiled encouragingly at Ken. "Instead of pondering, let us wait for her to wake up so she can explain it to us."

Junpei grinned. "Yeah! Ai-chan's got that right! Our leader's pretty tough, after all. Just watch - one day she'll open her eyes and ask, "what're you guys doing in my room?" But, hey – " he suddenly turned serious. "I'm glad to see you're still hanging in there, Aigis. I mean, back then, it was like protecting her was all you could think about, so when the doc told us he wasn't sure if she'd ever open her eyes again – "

"She will wake up," Aigis interrupted determinedly. Suddenly, at that moment, Mitsuru's cellphone rang. She quietly excused herself, standing up to move next the window. "Remember - no matter how many times she was knocked down in battle, she always stood back up," Aigis continued. "Yes," Fuuka agreed, hope returning to her face. "And nobody knows that better than us. With her, none of the Shadows we've ever faced stood a chance."

"Speaking of her, it seems she's finally arrived from the hospital," Mitsuru announced with a smile, making her way back to the group. Ken jumped up from his chair. "Really? Let's go see her!" He yelled excitedly. Everyone else nodded in agreement and stood up as well. But then, Aigis said a loud "Um, everyone, I…", making everybody stop in their tracks.

"What is it, Aigis-san?" Ken asked.

Aigis wrung her hands. She looked uncomfortable. Comprehension filled Mitsuru's face after a moment. The cool, controlled teen decided to help poor Aigis out.

"Aigis is returning herself to the lab tomorrow," Mitsuru explained. Fuuka brows drew together in confusion. "Huh? The lab? Aigis, are you going to commute to school from there next semester?" Everyone turned to Aigis for an answer, but she remained silent. Mitsuru felt she had no choice but to intervene once again. "She has decided that… she won't be enrolled as a senior."

Junpei's eyes bugged out in surprise. He jumped to his feet. "Seriously? Why? Can't Aigis stay in school like before?" Aigis looked apologetic. "The decision was mine. I'm sorry I didn't mention it sooner…. I enjoyed being with you all, but I need to find my own way of life." Noticing the disappointment on her friends' faces she stopped rambling and said instead, "Oh, but you can come visit me anytime."

"Aigis…." Fuuka whispered.

Mitsuru cleared her throat discreetly, trying to get everyone's attention. "Think of it as a new beginning for her. Anyway… we seem to have gotten off the wrong foot. Today's not meant to be a sad occasion. Shinjiro will be cooking a feast for us tonight, just like last September (A/N: This happened during the FemC path Moon S. Link. Check Youtube for the video). I've also ordered excellent sushi for us all. The same as before, actually."

"T-that would be great!" Ken exclaimed. His eyes had this cute, boyish sparkle as he thought of the sushi. It looked like he was feeling better already. Junpei pumped his fist into the air in victory. "Beef! Pork! Hot soup! Cake!" He cheered, daydreaming about the food Shinji cooked last year.

With that, everyone hurried downstairs to welcome their leader home, unaware that tonight would be the longest night of their lives.


	2. Beginning, Part 2

I don't own anything directly related to the Persona series.

_

* * *

_

March 31st, 2010  
Late Night

_You need a good reason to walk around the Iwatodai Strip Mall at night…._

Yukari Takeba wasn't an exception. Sure, she was the member of SEES with the best healing arts and the only bow user. Sure, her Garu based skills weren't to be underestimated. Yeah, she was a member….

"So why aren't I partying with the others right now?" Yukari asked angrily, looking up at the dark sky. The sound of the crickets chirping was the only reply.

She already knew the answer. It was so obvious, yet so illogical.

Yukari didn't want to say goodbye.

She faintly recalled what happened at cram school earlier. Fuuka had tried to contact her. Yukari purposely ignored – or, at least, pretended to – the insistent ringing of her cell. Besides, class was in session. She didn't need any distractions, right?

But that stupid cellphone just kept ringing and ringing, all the way until the break period. By then, Yukari had run out of excuses for ignoring her cell, so she reluctantly answered it, knowing full well what Fuuka was going to ask her about.

Yukari trembled slightly and almost dropped her pink duffel bag when she realized that right now she was doing the same thing – putting off going to the farewell party. Cram school ended rather abruptly due to the gas leak in the nearby building, and since then Yukari had been making up all these excuses for why she _couldn't _attend the party, no matter how trivial those reasons were.

Yukari opened her phone to check the time on its screen. 11:33pm.

She had no more reason to stay away from her friends. Additionally, it was a fifteen minute walk from the Iwatodai Station to the dorm.

She couldn't avoid it any longer.

Slowly, with obvious reluctance, Yukari walked across the street to the Station. While riding the escalator up, she checked her phone for any messages, then on impulse, decided to contact someone at the dorm and tell them she was on her way. But just as she was about to dial a number, she immediately noticed the silver haired teen standing a few ways away from the Station entrance.

Yukari clicked her phone shut and approached him. "Akihiko-sempai," she greeted a little too brightly. In her mind, she was wondering why he, of all people, wasn't at the dorm with the others. Especially since "she" and Akihiko were –

"Hey, Takeba," he replied, his voice a little strained. "What're you doin' out here? I figured you'd be with the others right now. Heck, even _she_'s there. I mean, you're her best friend, right?"

"Well… I had cram school," Yukari explained, suspecting that her guesses were correct. He never made it to the dorm today.

Akihiko cocked his head. "Huh? Isn't it kinda late at night for cram school?"

"No, school ended earlier today… I just had some, um, things to do," Yukari fumbled a bit. Trying to steer the direction of the conversation away from herself, she asked, "What about you, sempai? _She _would've wanted you there with the others."

"…I was at the gym," he said eventually, lamely. His face suddenly broke into a half-grin. "That excuse probably makes me sound like a heartless jerk, huh? I mean, what could possibly be more important than this farewell party?" His tone of voice was dry, and his undertones were bitter.

Yukari was confused. He was so open to her, so honest, she didn't know how to react. Usually he was so cool and calm but now….

All of a sudden, in that exact moment, Yukari felt kinship with him. He was avoiding the party, just like her. Up until this moment, she felt that she didn't really have anything in common with him, but then, in the space of a few seconds, it felt like he was the only person in this world who knew, who _really _knew what it felt like to be in her shoes.

They didn't normally chat with each other on a daily basis or anything; Yukari felt that talking with him was what he needed. What both of them needed. And no, she wasn't at a loss for topics because there was really only _one thing _they could talk about on a cold, dreary night outside the Iwatodai Station instead of acting mature and heading towards the party together.

Yukari's next words came naturally to her, as if routine.

"Want to talk about it?"

Their eyes met in silent mutual agreement. They chose a bench not far from where they were originally standing and sat down. At first, they didn't say a thing to each other. Yukari wasn't sure who started it, but suddenly they started talking about…things. Lots of different things. About the past year, about SEES, about everyone, and about _her_.

Neither of them were aware of how much time had passed since they sat down and started chatting as if they were old friends who hadn't seen each other in years. But just as Yukari was sharing a funny anecdote with Akihiko about school, something happened.

The digital watch on Akihiko's wrist counted off the seconds:

11:59:57…

11:59:58…

11:59:59…

_SMASH!_

As if jolted with electricity, both teens jumped to their feet in alarm.

"The hell?" Akihiko snarled, looking around. The streets were quiet… empty. Yukari gulped nervously. "Sempai…" she began hesitantly. "This feeling… it's…!"

Akihiko and Yukari stood back to back, scanning the area warily for any sudden movements. When nothing happened, Akihiko looked up at the sky, checking the color of the clouds and the moon. "…Nope," he said after a moment, his stance relaxing slightly. "Looks like a false alarm."

Yukari whirled around to face him. Strangely, what he just said sounded an awful lot like something Junpei would say…. "Sempai… you felt it, too, right?"

Akihiko looked back at her. "Yeah, I did. But nothing really happened, right? Although I can't explain it…." He glanced at his watch. Its digital face seemed to be stuck at 11:59:59. "…Huh? Did it break or something?" He mumbled.

"I – I hope you're right, sempai," Yukari conceded, folding her arms over her chest. She suddenly felt chilled, and she had the distinct feeling that it wasn't from the night air.

* * *

At the dorm, the situation was bad. And with every passing minute, it was getting worse.

Everyone was sitting around the lounge, reminiscing about the past…when it happened.

At the stroke of midnight, Shinji, Junpei, Ken, Mitsuru and Fuuka had jumped to their feet almost in unison, as if jolted with electricity. They had felt it, too. Even Koromaru was aware. He was growling and barking.

"What's happening?" Ken shouted. "What was that? And… why did the electricity get cut off?" "It can't be… is it the Dark Hour again?" Fuuka cried. Everyone glanced at one another through the sudden darkness with horror. To think they had finally put that chapter of their lives behind them, and now _this _happens….

Junpei quickly ran to the nearest window to check. "Nope, everything's fine out there."

"Are the streetlights on?" Ken asked him. "Yup," Junpei replied, coming back towards the group. "I guess it's just the dorm that's cut off."

Mitsuru crossed her arms and sighed. "This building is quite old, after all… since this dorm will be up for sale, I'll need to hire someone to check the wiring and the circuits. I can't have any more problems than necessary."

Suddenly, Fuuka gasped. "Oh, no what about _her_? Her life support device – you know, the one the doctor showed us? Er, I guess it's still called an ICU… anyways, doesn't it run on electricity? What's going to happen to her?"

"…Didn't the hospital staff also tell us that they set up a sub generator in her room or something?" Shinji said curtly. "It's supposed to take over charging up the ICU just in case a power outage like this happens."

Mitsuru nodded her head, pleased someone other than herself could still think things through. "Aragaki is correct. She'll be fine as long as it's there. Besides, the nurse the doctor sent from the hospital is taking care of her as we speak. In the meantime, Aigis? Yamagishi? I'll need you two to check the fuse box downstairs. Hopefully this brown out isn't anything that requires the work of a professional."

"Wait. We have a basement?" Junpei asked, shocked. Mitsuru turned to him, slightly amused. "Yes, we do. It isn't surprising that you didn't know. I understand why you weren't aware, in fact." Mitsuru gestured towards the door behind the dorm's front counter. "The door to the basement is usually locked."

Fuuka nodded. "Sure thing, Mitsuru-sempai. I'll just need to get some flashlights from the Command Room." "I am equipped with special lenses that enable me to see in the dark. I shall accompany you," Aigis said. As they left, Mitsuru turned to Junpei. "Iori, I believe there are some candles and matches in the kitchen area. Could you light some for us to use until Yamagishi finds those flashlights?" Junpei flashed his customary "oh yeah, baby!" grin at Mitsuru. "Leave it to the fireman!"

"Is there anything I can do?" Ken asked. Mitsuru shook her head. "No, it's alright, Amada. You've been working hard, helping me all day to arrange this party. I doubt this power outage will be solved soon, so I suggest you retire early. Besides, among all of us, you'll be traveling the farthest. Early tomorrow morning, your relative will arrive to take you to Yokohama."

"Ok, then. Goodnight, sempai." Ken bowed to Mitsuru. He turned and bowed to Shinji, too before making his way up the stairs. Mitsuru turned to Shinji, smiling.

"You, too, Aragaki. You've had your share of work today as well. I thank you once again for your wonderful cooking. Although not all of us were able to enjoy it tonight…."

Shinji waved off her praise. "You're welcome. The sushi was great, by the way. No wonder Junpei was so gung-ho about it." Mitsuru cocked her head a little, her smile fading. "When I said that not all of were able to enjoy your cooking, I wasn't just talking about Akihiko and Yukari." Suddenly, she stepped towards him and gently placed an understanding hand on his arm.

"So, I took the liberty to pour some of your soup into a cup and set it on her bedside table. You know… just in case she decides to wake up and try it."

"…" Shinji fell silent. As he stared at his booted feet, Mitsuru felt herself smile again, even though it was probably the wrong reaction. Akihiko may be Shinji's closest, oldest friend, but even he didn't know what was going on. In fact, Mitsuru mused, Akihiko was the worst possible person to tell.

Out of all the members, Ken, Aigis and Akihiko didn't know. Mitsuru wondered briefly about Junpei, and decided that although he acted stupid sometimes, he probably had some idea of what was going on since he was close to _her_. Yukari and Fuuka noticed a bit as well, but wisely chose not to get involved.

All in all, Mitsuru was the only member of their group who knew, who _really _knew what Shinji was going through right now.

Akihiko… Shinji… and _her_….

"I'll be in my room if you need me," Shinji said at last, finding his voice. Mitsuru withdrew her hand and silently watched him feel his way towards the stairs. After a moment, she flipped open her cellphone to contact Yukari and Akihiko to ask them to take a look around the city, wherever they were. As she checked the screen, she immediately noticed something strange.

A few minutes had passed since the brown out, and yet her phone clock read 11:59:59pm.

* * *

30 minutes later, in Shinji's room….

Shinji was lying on his back on the bed, his beanie and boots off, but with his coat still on. He felt too lazy to bother with changing. Who cared, anyway?

_She would._

Shinji growled angrily, willing the voice away. When he was sure that he'd have no more thoughts of her, he allowed himself to finally drift off into a restless sleep.

To his dismay, thoughts of her began to invade his mind, as well as unwelcome memories of his final moment with her. Even now, it was all crystal clear in his mind. When he made it to the school roof, it was graduation day for the seniors. Yet he found her lying down on one of the benches with her head on Aigis' lap. Aigis had allowed him to take her place so she could keep on the lookout for the others. Shinji remembered thinking to himself how pale she looked as he cradled her close, her eyes half closed, her breaths slow and deep as if falling asleep.

He didn't mean to do it, but all of a sudden he'd let loose all his emotions, all his guilt, and told her how important she had become to him at the same time. About how he'd woken up weeks earlier and how he forgot everything. Everything.

_Please, let me stay with you like this for a little while longer…._

By the time the others had burst onto the roof, their memories returned, her eyelids had closed. She had fallen asleep.

At first nothing was wrong. Everyone was laughing and joking. Akihiko had taken Shinji's place and held her in his arms so that Shinji could stretch his cramped legs. The sun was shining, and the spring breeze blew pleasantly. It was all so perfect, and they were all so united… so close, chatting with one another as if they never forgot in the first place.

But then she refused to wake up. Akihiko shook her shoulders repeatedly, and Junpei yelled in her ear. She never opened her eyes to respond.

The sun was shining brightly the last time Shinji saw her awake; the last time he held her close.

Suddenly, a terrible cough possessed Shinji. He covered his mouth, and it was immediately moistened with something. He checked his hand and found that it was blood. Cursing, he lumbered over to his bathroom, not bothering to turn on the lights before heavily bending over the sink and coughing more blood into it.

On impulse, he reached for the little shelf overhead, feeling around for that familiar bottle of pills, then stopped himself.

Once he was sure that his cough had died down a bit, he raised his head to look at the container of suppressants. It was empty now because he'd sworn off it; he'd tossed what was left of the deadly drugs into the dumpster across the street. The bottle seemed to be mocking him; it was a painful reminder of what little time he had left in the land of the living.

Even though Dark Hour and Tartarus was gone, even though a new chapter the world's history had just begun, even though he'd lost his Persona… in the end, he couldn't do anything.

This feeling of being powerless, helpless….

Was he just going to live with his guilt and despair until his heart finally ceased function?

…Could he really continue to _live _like this?

Shinji squeezed his eyes shut as he felt another strong one come over him. Unable to contain it, he coughed more blood into the sink.

* * *

He didn't how or when he got back on his bed. All Shinji could remember was that after puking out his guts he'd slammed his fist into the mirror hanging above the sink, completely destroying it. His hand was raw and bleeding, but he couldn't feel any pain.

All he could feel was his heart beating slowly, as if it'd stop any minute. And he could hear a voice, telling him that there had to be _something _out there just for him and for his happiness, and that there was more to him than just waiting to die. And then… and then…

That's when the crystal butterfly had floated lazily into his fuzzy line of vision. Without thinking, he'd reached for the butterfly, palm facing up. Then the butterfly landed gently in the center of his palm, fluttering its wings….

_BAM_!

Shinji jumped out of his bed, suddenly alert and wide awake. He listened carefully and braced himself for any other strong impacts. There were none. On impulse, he checked his table clock. The short hand, the long hand and the hand that counted off the seconds were nearly on the "12" position. It read, 11:59pm.

_Huh? The hell? What time did I leave the party? _Shinji wondered.

His reverie was interrupted by a loud, frantic banging on his bedroom door. "Shinjiro-sempai! Are you awake?" Fuuka called out from behind the door. Moving quickly, he yanked it open. "What's going on?"

"Oh, sempai, it's so hard to explain," Fuuka told him breathlessly, her tone shrill. "The lounge floor suddenly opened up, and Aigis is fighting and-! …A-anyways, I know you don't have a Persona anymore but everyone's trapped and if you have a weapon, you need to help Aigis!"

"Got it," Shinji said. With that, he grabbed his axe from his closet and rushed out, with Fuuka following close behind.

By the time Shinji got to the lounge, everything was a mess – the kitchen table was thrown to the side with its sheet all torn up and two of its legs broken, and there was a huge trapdoor in its place. Chairs were scattered and overturned. A fire had started in one corner, probably from one of the candles the remaining members lit up. For a split second, Shinji was transfixed by the sight of the red tongues licking the nearest objects and crawling ever so slowly across the carpet. The sight of the flames shook him to the core, giving him a strong sense of dejavu.

"Be careful, Aragaki! He doesn't seem human!" Mitsuru's warning sharply brought him back to the present.

In front of him. He should be concentrating on what was in front of him, he told himself.

Junpei, Mitsuru, Ken and the dog were huddled in one corner, confused, frightened and outraged at the same time. Aigis was on the floor near the kitchen counter, unconscious. Her red ribbon was undone. And standing a little to the right of the "trapdoor" was… a human? Was he human?

The intruder slowly turned around. Shinji's mouth dropped open, finally seeing this mysterious enemy face to face. Shinjiro _knew _this guy! But… it was impossible, right? It couldn't really be him… maybe he was just a look-alike, or maybe Shinji was just half-asleep or something. He was a _character from _TV, for Pete's sake! …No, he realized. This was real. He was real.

Shinji was so shocked he was barely aware of Ken's shrill cry:

"Sempai, watch out! He's Black Condor! He's a member of Phoenix Ranger Featherman R, and he's really strong!"

"...Where is she?" The intruder asked Shinjiro, reaching up to his face with one hand to adjust his mask. Shinji almost immediately noticed that there was a spiderweb crack on the helmet's left cheek. "You're Shinjiro Aragaki, aren't you? Where is she?" "Who the hell do you think you are, and what the fuck do you want?" Shinji snarled, tightening his grip on his axe. Only about four seconds had passed and already Shinji was pissed by this guy's superior attitude.

"I am Feather Condor. I've come to kill the Wild Card," the intruder replied.

"The... Wild Card?" Shinji wasn't familiar with the term, but for some reason, it rang a bell.

"If I don't kill her... time won't move on," Condor continued. "It's my duty as a Featherman to set things right. As long as she's here, everyone's safety is jeopardized. The balance of the world is on the verge of toppling over."

"Sorry I'm late. Is everyone ok?" Fuuka's voice suddenly rang out from somewhere. "Yes. I need you to provide backup for Aragaki," Mitsuru said. "Alright," Fuuka replied.

"Look, that was a nice speech and all, but can we get on with this? Or did you want some other shit for your headstone?" Shinji retorted, his axe poised. Black Condor got into a fighting stance. It looked like he was going to fight with martial arts. "I'm so close," he said. "I've decided that nothing will get in the way of my goal. I won't hold back, even if you are Shinjiro Aragaki. For your sake, and for everyone else's... I'm going to have to force you to back down."


	3. Beginning, Part 3

A/N: I need a little help writing the fight scenes in this chapter, as well as the fight scenes in future chapters. If Shinji or Black Condor did anything that just isn't possible because of the circumstances, please point it out and I'll correct it immediately.

Also, if you have any suggestions, don't hesitate to tell me so that this story will be more enjoyable for all.

Thank you, and have fun reading chapter 3.

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Iwatodai Dorm Lounge  
Late Night

"Stand aside, Shinjiro Aragaki," Black Condor demanded.

"And if I don't?" Shinji challenged. He subtly poised his axe to strike should Condor rush forward.

The two figures glared at each other.

The other members watched with morbid fascination. Aigis was down for the count. Nobody seemed to notice that the fire had gotten slightly bigger than earlier.

Suddenly, Black Condor whipped out something that looked like a sci-fi laser gun. In the blink of an eye, he aimed at Shinji and fired magenta colored shots. Shinji's reflexes acted quickly; he simply sidestepped the assault and advanced, swinging his axe, effectively knocking the gun out of Condor's hand.

An energy saber suddenly protracted from the device on Condor's left arm. He brought it up to block Shinji's overhead axe swing. Condor's other arm had another gun-looking contraption, and it was pointing directly at Shinji's chest, where the heart was supposed to be. It was too late to dodge, and Condor's saber was still blocking Shinji's axe. Thinking fast, Shinjiro pushed all his weight on Black Condor to force him to stumble backwards just as the sidearm gun fired, missing Shinji by centimeters.

He barely recovered when Condor pressed a button on his wrist device. All at once, the sound of a motor gunning was heard from somewhere below. In a flash, a motorcycle rode up the trapdoor stairs like a ramp and literally flew towards Shinji. Rolling away just in time, he heard Fuuka shout," Sempai, the enemy has no weakness, and the motorcycle seems to be controlled by that little machine on his wrist! It seems to be his main arsenal… try breaking it!"

The motorcycle had screeched to a halt just in front of a dazed Ken. He had been looking at the motorcycle and Black Condor with awe in his eyes, but when he heard Fuuka refer to Condor's "little machine" like that, he snapped his head up indignantly. "It's not a "little machine"! It's called a Cross Changer! And Black Condor's motorcycle is called the Phoenix Speeder!" Ken shouted with all the confidence of an angry fanboy.

Mitsuru glanced at the grade schooler with a "HUH?" look on her face. She opened her mouth to say something to the boy, but all of a sudden a wave of tiredness washed over her, causing her to sway slightly on her feet. She quickly leaned against the wall to support herself. A practiced fighter and data gatherer, she instantly knew that what she was feeling at the moment wasn't just normal fatigue. _What's going on here? _She wondered.

Meanwhile, Junpei didn't seem "fatigued" in the slightest. He was having a lot of fun, actually. "Wa ha ha! I _knew _he liked watching Featherman R!" Junpei guffawed, unable to resist teasing Ken despite the heaviness of the moment.

While dodging more of Condor's potent laser beams and avoiding getting roadkilled by the motorcycle, Shinjiro growled at Ken. "Is this really the best time for that kind of shit? And whose side are you on, anyways?"

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Naganaki Shrine  
Late Night

It was a nightmare outside the dorm. After receiving Mitsuru's call, the two began to wander around Iwatodai to make sure everything was alright – and immediately they noticed something.

It didn't matter where they went. Everyone… EVERYONE around them had fallen asleep. People had collapsed on the streets, the sidewalks… late night store owners were slumped over their shop counters… stray animals were lying on their sides… and the worst part was the traffic. Drivers were sleeping too, and there was a huge crash site in the middle of the city, and an equally dire crash site on the Moonlight Bridge. Luckily, no one seemed to be hurt…badly.

Akihiko and Yukari had agreed to split up for a brief moment to cover more ground, making the Naganaki Shrine their rendezvous point. The senior had arrived first and waited impatiently for his kohai. Finally, after what seemed like hours, he spotted her running across the street to reach the shrine.

"Any luck?" Akihiko asked Yukari as she bounded up the last three stone steps. She slowed to a stop in front of him. Wrapping her arms around her stomach, she gasped, "N-no…nobody is…they're all…asleep!" Suddenly, she closed her eyes and fell forward. Moving quickly, Akihiko stepped forward and caught her by her upper arms. "Hey! Are you okay? Don't tell me-!"

Yukari immediately straightened up and tried to regain the feeling in her legs. "…Sorry, sempai, it's just that for a second there… I just wanted to close my eyes and sleep…."

Yukari's words struck a dissonant chord in Akihiko. With that single sentence, he was thrown all the way back on that school rooftop with "her" in his arms. In his mind's eye, she was slowly being swallowed by darkness. He was holding her hand with all his might, but the darkness was too strong. Her hand slipped from his grasp and then she was gone….

"No!" Akihiko shouted, startling both himself and Yukari. The said girl drew back in surprise. "S-sempai? Er… I'm sorry. I'll try to stay strong, I promise!"

_Are you okay? Physically, I mean._

_I'm fine. How about you, sempai?_

…_Huh? Er… yeah, I am. Well… it's just that… whenever I watch you fight in Tartarus, I feel… angry._

_W-what am I doing wrong?_

_N-no, I don't mean it like that! Ugh, how do I put it? I'm not __**angry**__, more like…__** irritated**__. No, wait, it's more like… I'm __**nervous**__…._

_Do I seem dangerous?_

_Ah, no, of course not. …You… Is there any way you could avoid having to fight? ARGH! No! Forget what I just said; I had no right to say such things. Out of all the members, you're trying the hardest._

…_?_

_Ugh, why did I say those things? … …Deep down, I know why I feel this way everytime I see you fight… I… I'm worried about you…._

_Don't worry, sempai! I'll try to stay strong, I promise!_

…_You know what? Just forget it. C'mon. Eat up, okay?_

He winced and glanced around the apparently empty shrine. Now wasn't the time to reminiscence. He reminded himself of this by saying to Yukari, "Well, I guess we'd better head back to the dorm and report this to Mitsuru… dammit, if only my phone wasn't acting up, I could've contacted her immediately!" Noticing he still had his hands on her arms he let go, muttering an apology.

Yukari checked her own phone and tried pressing the buttons. The cellphone was on, and it was on the home screen - not to mention brightly lit - but that was it. It didn't respond. After a few seconds of fiddling with her cell, it dawned on her that she had a hard time ignoring the clock displayed at the top of the screen.

11:59pm.

Was it just her imagination, or did the frozen clock actually mean something? Heck, even her sempai's watch was stuck at that time….

"What are you waiting for, Yukari? Let's go!" Akihiko urged her. Yukari quickly tucked away her phone and nodded.

That's when they heard the bells. _Gong, gong, gong…._

It was faint, but in the eerily quiet evening, the sound of the ringing bells was crystal clear. Both Yukari and Akihiko stilled as they listened, the faraway gongs frighteningly nostalgic, threatening to revive old horrors.

Abruptly, in the distance, a huge, familiar, grotesque tower slowly rose into the dark sky, as if beckoning….

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Iwatodai Dorm Lounge  
Late Night

"Yes! The enemy is down! Sempai, here's your chance to break his… um, Cross Changer!" Fuuka cheered. From within Juno, she took a deep breath as she watched Shinjiro rip the device from the fallen Condor's arm and drop it on the floor. He quickly smashed soundly it under his boot.

Fuuka realized she was tired. Strange… she knew her limits, and Shinji had been fighting Black Condor for only about ten minutes. So how could she be tired?

Suddenly, she caught movement out of the corner of her "eye" and turned to look at her friends. Junpei had slumped to the floor. He was still awake, but just barely. He was supporting himself up by placing his palms face down on the floor. Mitsuru was standing, but with visibly great effort, her face strained. Ken had his arms wrapped around Koromaru's neck, his eyes drooping.

What's happening? She wondered. Why is everyone so tired?

Fear slowly crept up her spine. She turned her attention back to the battle and studied Shinjiro's movements. It was just as she expected – he was clearly fatigued. His mouth was open and he was breathing hard, his movements had turned awkward and sluggish, and his free hand was clutching his chest….

"Sempai, are you alright? You're heart…!" Fuuka cried.

But her warning came too late.

Meanwhile, Black Condor slowly rose to his feet from the floor, unperturbed. He didn't seem tired in the slightest. He sized up Shinji and sighed dramatically. "Look at you, Shinjiro Aragaki. You're already gasping for air, and I barely started fighting you! Do you understand now? It's pointless to fight back. Pointless. Why not just stand aside?"

He pointed at Shinji's heart. "Otherwise, if you don't stop, what will become of you? You're fighting a pointless battle, Shinjiro Aragaki! A foolish waste of everyone's time!"

"It's never a waste!" Shinji roared back. Only God knew why those words came forth. Since meeting _her, _a large portion of his outlook on life had changed dramatically: he began going out more in the daytime, he enjoyed his life at the dorm, and he began to smile more often. He had rediscovered something he had lost long ago: hope.

Unfortunately, his shouting at Black Condor caused him to gasp for more air. His heart throbbed painfully again. _Dammit, what the hell is wrong with me?_ He thought angrily.

"…" For a moment, Black Condor didn't reply. Instead, he picked up the destroyed pieces of his Cross Changer from the floor and studied them before tucking the parts safely away in a hidden pocket. He looked up at Shinji. "At this rate, by the time you realize how utterly foolish you're acting, it will be too late," he said, his tone of voice odd. Had Condor appeared before him as a friend, and not as an enemy, Shinji could've sworn that he sounded concerned.

From her position, Fuuka suddenly sensed something dreadful. Something powerful. Deadly. "Aragaki-sempai!" she called out in fear.

Black Condor pulled back his mask halfway, so that only his mouth was visible. He reached into his pocket, took out something, and shoved it into his mouth before properly readjusting his mask.

"You're more resilient than I expected. I have no choice."

"Sempai!" Fuula called out again. "Watch out! That's the move he used to knock out Aigis!"

A warm wind began to blow seemingly from nowhere. Something suddenly fluttered in Shinji's face and momentarily blotched his vision. Irritated, he yanked the stuff away from his face.

They were feathers. Pitch-black feathers.

Shinjiro tossed them aside and looked up in awe and tension at his adversary. To his utter shock, Black Condor seemed to be moving faster than normal, almost as if he was an illusion. As Condor rushed at Shinji with full speed, Shinjiro could swear that he saw black wings flashing on his back.

"Argh!" Shinji gasped as Condor executed an impossibly fast roundhouse kick that knocked the wind out of him. _Damn, what's happening? I thought I was winning, _Shinji thought bitterly to himself as he struggled to his feet. He stared hard at Black Condor, who had paused near the entrance to the dorm. By now, the fire had completely enveloped one of the armchairs, but no one cared.

Shinjiro tried to regain some of his composure, but his whole body racked with pain.

And when Condor delivered a swift punch squarely into the chest, Shinji was too tired and too much in pain to hold up his axe to block the attack; he ended up getting knocked all the way to the other side of the lounge near the bathrooms, hitting the wall with a hard thud before falling heavily to the floor. The shock of the impact left him with only a small fraction of his consciousness still working. Somewhere in the background, he faintly heard Fuuka cry his name in horror. "No! Aragaki-sempai!"

His heartbeats slowed, then stopped….

_Is this it? _He asked himself. _Am I going to die? _A brief spark of anger flashed through him, then died out as grief and helplessness washed over him. _I couldn't do anything this time, either. I...couldn't protect…_

"Amada!" It was Mitsuru's voice. It sounded weak…. "Hindrances will be removed," resounded the voice of Black Condor.

What was happening?

"You goddamn bastard! If you're gonna kill someone, kill me!" Junpei's angry yell rang out.

* * *

March 31, 2010(?)

Time Unknown

All of a sudden, Shinjiro found himself standing in a void of blinding whiteness. Standing in front of him was the woman who appeared in his hollow life, ripped it open with all the force of a whirlwind and filled it with sweet nothings. She was smiling at him.

"…"

Shinji could've sworn he felt his eyes water.

_To live… or to die?_

_She, who has reached the end of her journey and chooses life for the sake of those she holds dear…._

_He, who struggles with loss and pushes onward without looking back…._

_I look forward to seeing how your story will be played out._

A shiver ran down Shinji's spine. He turned away from the image of her and noticed the blue-violet door a few feet away from him. As if to invite him over, the said door creaked open a bit, a cool blue light escaping from the crack.

Shinji slowly approached the door, put his hand on the doorknob, paused. He looked over his shoulder at "her". She held out her hands to him, reaching for him as if to say _don't go._

He felt gentle sorrow sting his heart. He wanted to stay here, in this place with her; he could not. It didn't feel right. And, Shinjiro admitted to himself, he was too weak to be by her side right now.

"I'm sorry," he whispered with great regret before pulling the door open, the light from inside enveloping him completely. "…Welcome…," a mysterious voice greeted Shinji from inside….

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Iwatodai Dorm Lounge  
Late Night

Black Condor was using a Persona.

That was the only explanation Fuuka could think of as she studied his sudden increase of strength and speed. He most likely used a Sukukaja and a Tarukaja spell on himself. As if to agree, Juno, her Persona, let out a confused cry. Juno sensed a Persona… but where was it?

_It has to be a Persona! _Fuuka thought desperately as she stared hard at Black Condor, who had just picked up Ken by his jacket collar and lifted him into the air. _It has to be… Juno can sense it… so why can't I __**see **__it? Please, Juno, tell me the answer…If I could just pinpoint the origin of his power, I could figure out a way to defeat him!_

Mitsuru and Junpei watched in silent horror as Condor aimed his gun at Ken's heart. Aigis was still unconscious, and showed no signs of waking. Fuuka herself, lacking the physical capacity to engage in direct combat, could only watch the scene unfold before her eyes.

And it was this particular moment Shinji decided to wake up… or rather, it looked like he was awake, but there was something about him that Fuuka couldn't put her finger on….

Everyone else was also momentarily distracted by Shinjiro's sudden comeback. Black Condor lowered Ken a bit, eyeing Shinji warily.

Shinjiro slipped a hand into a hidden pocket in his coat and pulled out something. It glistened eerily in the firelight, but it was still pretty dark in the lounge so Fuuka had to concentrate for a bit in order to find out what he was holding.

An Evoker.

_Huh? How did he get that? When he lost consciousness last October, we took his Evoker for safekeeping… and the other Evokers were already confiscated by Mitsuru-sempai…, _Fuuka's mind raced. In a flash, she recalled Mitsuru's and Aigis' exchange in the command room earlier that day….

_Mitsuru-san, I was unable to locate the last Evoker… _Was Aigis' apology.

_It's all right, Aigis. I actually anticipated that. Indeed, I can think of one – no, two people who could've taken it. _Was Mitsuru's matter-of-fact reply.

At the time, Fuuka was mildly confused when her sempai said _two _people could've taken their leader's Evoker, but it seemed unimportant nevertheless. She had this hunch that it was Akihiko who took the Evoker - and it seemed like Junpei suspected sempai, too – and briefly wondered who the other person could've been for no more than six seconds.

Shinji aimed the said Evoker at his head, his facial expression unreadable.

"W-wait a minute! Sempai, don't!" Fuuka screamed, suddenly realizing that Shinjiro had no more Persona; that Castor had completely vanished last October 4th.

Mitsuru was able to collect herself for a brief moment to cry out her warning:

"Shinjiro! You no longer wield a Persona! That, together with the fact that your body and heart have been weakened due to the suppressants… if you try to summon a Persona at this stage, you could die!"

Shinji paused, and tilted his head back to peer at Black Condor, completely ignoring his teammates' advice.

"I hope you're ready to die, you son of a bitch."

BANG!

_Crash!_

To everyone's complete and utter amazement, the familiar sound of glass breaking was heard, loud and clear. A bright blue circle of light formed around Shinji. Strong gusts from air began to blow from some unknown place, causing his long burgundy coat to flap wildly.

"…A-ah…" Fuuka gasped weakly, the only reaction she could muster as she stared in awe at her sempai.

Shinjiro had lost his Persona a long time ago, and he shouldn't have been able to summon one now. Shooting himself in the head with the Evoker now should've just killed him as easily as a normal gun would've, but it didn't.

The next few seconds seemed to play out in slow motion.

Castor leapt powerfully, majestically, high into the air on his horse, which was neighing triumphantly. At the same time, some kind of cloudy, swirling warp appeared right above Shinji's head. Castor snapped the reins, spurring his horse (his legs?) towards the "warp" and jumped through it like a show horse in the ring…

…but to everyone's increasing astonishment, the Persona that came out the other side was not "Castor" any longer.

"Thou art I, and I art thou…." Said Castor's brand new form in a strong yet feminine voice.

"Are you serious? _That's freakin' Orpheus!_" Junpei shouted over the strong winds. "That's _her _Persona!"

Ken gaped at the Persona if he were hypnotized. He was speechless.

Mitsuru's eyes widened with a sudden realization. "D-don't tell me…!"

"W-what is this?" Black Condor stuttered, completely forgetting to shoot Ken. It was the first time he showed any other emotion besides superiority and cockiness.

Orpheus let out an angry shriek and attacked.


	4. Beginning, Part 4

Everything has a beginning and an end. Life is just a cycle of starts and stops. There are ends we don't desire, but they're inevitable, we have to face them. It's what being human is all about.

* * *

March 31, 2010(?)  
Between Dreams and Reality  
Time unknown

Theodore stood at attention next to his master, studying their latest guest with guarded curiosity, and what a rare guest he was….

His name is Shinjiro Aragaki, aged 18 years and 121 days. Losing his parents at a very young age, the first eight years of his life are made up entirely of the orphanage he grew up in. He was very close friends with Akihiko and Miki Sanada.

_Was_, Theodore noted to himself. It was apparent that the incident that occurred a decade ago not only took young Miki's life – it also took away both boys' innocence. Throughout the years they've stayed friends, but neither of them were willing to admit how deeply the loss of Akihiko's sister had affected them, thus, they gradually grew apart. At present, were they really and truly _friends_? Only they could tell for sure.

Theodore slowly shook his head as he recalled other tragic information about their esteemed guest: Two years ago, Shinjiro had taken the life of an innocent. True, it was unintentional. But no matter how the cards were played, it came to the same result: Ken Amada's mother had died, and Shinjiro was to blame.

Since becoming a resident of the Velvet Room alongside his sisters, Theodore became aware of one single fact: The Velvet Room's appearance changes to mirror the heart of whoever enters.

It was almost amusing; about a year ago, when _she _entered the Velvet Room for the first time, the Velvet Room took on the appearance of an endlessly ascending elevator, cleverly mirroring the situation of Tartarus, the Tower that beckoned all to ascend its levels. The ivory clock that kept the gates securely closed was working doubly faster than that of the human realm, moving forward without stopping. When she unlocked the power of the World, the Velvet Room had ceased its ascent. The clock was still working, but it had unlatched its hold on the gates, which swung open in response to her call. And now, since the appearance of this young man, the Velvet Room had begun to move _downwards_. The ivory clock had stopped at a peculiar time: "11:59:59pm".

Theodore recalled the moment Shinjiro released Orpheus. It was an intense burst of energy that caused his very psyche to shatter… and yet, just like her, he was able to withstand the burden of the Wild Card through sheer willpower alone. Theo wondered about this. He was not born under the Fool – Shinjiro was the Hierophant. Castor morphing into Orpheus, her Persona… the talent to control multiple Personas and to wield their power was a gift that only a few had the strength to accept. Perhaps it was because his "bond" with their former guest had influenced him….

Whatever the reason for Shinjiro's awakening, this newfound power of his would surely come with dire consequences, Theo observed with a shake of his head.

Shinjiro's power is immense, but at the present, uncontrollable. His unstable soul is the result of a _rift _between his body and mind. However, someone who possessed a diverse soul such as his would have the potential to one day become a formidable wielder over the different Personae. Theodore nodded to himself, pleased with his logic. He glanced up as the Velvet Room itself began to hasten its descent a notch. It was about time their honored guest had awakened.

"Nghh… I…." Shinji shifted abruptly in his chair. His eyes blinked open, dazed. Right on cue.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room," Igor greeted the teenager with his customary "warmth". Unlike Theodore, he made no attempt to hide the way he scrutinized the new guest. "Ah, a very rare guest indeed," Igor amusedly remarked after a moment. "You've lost more than just your path; you've lost your true self. Your identity."

"Where… where am I? Who are you?" Shinjiro demanded, much more awake than a few seconds ago. He froze, then looked up and asked hesitantly, "and who… who am I?"

_A very rare guest, indeed, _Theodore repeated his master's words in his head. _Those who appear before master Igor normally have a firm grasp of their identity. _

"Ah… forgive my manners. I forgot to introduce myself." Igor paused for effect. "My name is Igor… and this is Theodore, my assistant. We reside in this Velvet Room."

"Pleased to meet you," Theodore said politely, formally bowing to Shinji.

Igor continued, "This place exists between mind and matter… a room for those who have forged a contract… Yes, in awakening to the power of the Wild Card, you are now bound to a contract. From this moment forth, you are our guest in the Velvet Room."

From where Theo stood, he could easily see that Shinjiro was reeling from Igor's explanation. It took him a brief moment to swallow everything he just heard (Theodore didn't blame him, because it was apparent that the teen had just lost a huge chunk of his memory) before daring to speak. "W-wild Card?"

Igor nodded, pleased that despite Shinji's amnesia, he could keep up with the explanation. "The Wild Card… the ability to hold multiple Personas and wield their powers…."

At that, Shinji gasped in pain and clutched his head with both hands. "Personas… multiple Personas… Tartarus, Dark Hour…," he moaned in agony, writhing on his chair, his speech just barely coherent. Theodore blinked. It seemed that Shinjiro Aragaki was regaining his memory faster than expected, although the things he were remembering did not include important, basic details such as his own name. Theo looked at Igor out of the corner of his eye. He had the vague suspicion that his master chose to say those things specifically in order to jostle the teen's memory.

"I remember… I remember," Shinjiro ground out, slowly lowering his hands when it seemed like the pain had subsided. He still looked a bit shaky, however. "I remember… _her._"

"Yes," Igor agreed completely, nonchalantly, as if Shinji didn't just freak out right across the table from him. "She was a talented young lady… and until recently, she was our guest here."

"She was a guest… here? You… you know her?" Shinjiro demanded, standing up.

Igor chuckled. "Indeed, I do," he said, choosing to answer only the last question. "She achieved a marvelous thing… reaching _the answer to life_…."

"The 'answer to life'…," Shinji repeated heavily, looking down at the carpeted floor.

"The power you have gained is a means to attain that answer," Igor finished. He glanced up expectantly at the teen for a reaction.

"…" For a moment, Shinjiro did not speak. Instead, he continued to stare at the floor, deep in thought. Theodore frowned. There was some kind of power enveloping the teen at the present. It was faint, but it was potent enough to partially block their new guest from "fully entering" the Velvet Room… and it seemed that this force was blocking out certain parts of his memory, as well. And what a deadly force it was. It made it difficult to "connect" with their guest – and a weak connection was a grave disadvantage for any guest.

Finally, Shinji looked up. He stared Igor directly in the eyes, clenching his fists. "This answer, whatever the hell that means… if I reach it… would it mean my death?"

_You haven't the faintest idea, _Theodore thought.

But Igor was the master of responding to questions with an answer that wasn't truly an answer.

"All who live journey in search of the answer, and they reach it at the journey's end…." Igor replied smoothly.

It was obvious that the boy needed reassurance of some kind. Theodore exchanged a subtle look with his master. Igor conceded with a small nod before turning back to their guest. "If you have close ties to people you call friends, remember this… **'Strength of heart, when united, is barred by no door'**…."

Shinji looked puzzled by what Igor said, so he added, "It was the same for that young lady. And that is all I can tell you."

Theodore exhaled the breath he didn't realize he was holding with relief. Of course, he _wanted _his master to tell their guest much more, but it was not permitted. A dark force had seized Shinji and the others within the dorm; Theodore felt that they were all in terrible danger. Theo knew full well that Igor wouldn't allow him to say anything to Shinjiro Aragaki regarding his specific doubts. The future was a shifting, ever-changing thing after all, dependent on countless choices made by countless beings. The members of the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad would always remain free to carve out their own destinies.

Theo smiled gratefully at his master for this one small admonition. True, it would not make much sense to Shinji right now, but in time, if he remembered this important lesson, it could save his life.

"Well, I shouldn't keep you here any longer," Igor said after a long stretch of silence. "The beginning of your ordeal awaits…."

_SMASH!_

"…? What the hell was that?" Shinjiro panicked, looking around.

"…" Theodore gently rubbed his temple with his index finger and thumb, a bit dazed. To his surprise, their current guest's influence on the Velvet Room's interior was so strong, the _time skips _could be felt all the way over here, in this place that existed between dreams and reality, between mind and matter….

"I am certain you will require my help in the future," Igor was saying, effectively ignoring both Shinji's and Theodore's reactions. "Please, take this…."

With a single, sharp finger snap, a key materialized in front of Shinji's face. It twirled lazily in the air for a few seconds before landing gently atop the teen's open palm.

While Shinji stared at the key, dumbfounded, Igor told him, "It would be better if you came here of your own free will next time. Until then, farewell…."

_Good luck, and be careful, _Theodore said silently.

Shinjiro's eyes rolled upwards. He blacked out, and fell back onto the chair.

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Iwatodai Dorms  
Late Night

Back in the lounge, Fuuka took a deep breath and focused her energies once more on her unconscious sempai, who lay unmoving on one of the 2 couches that were spared from the fire. Fear had already begun to well up within her; for the past six minutes, she wasn't able to detect a single hint of life from Shinjiro. His heartbeats were weak, there was barely any pulse, his breathing was irregular, his bodily functions were slowing down. Shinjiro's skin was gradually becoming cold to the touch.

Fuuka didn't think she'd ever have the courage to look at her friends in the eye and flat out tell them that Shinji was dying. Especially to Akihiko.

"How is he, Yamagishi?" Mitsuru asked at long last. She had been sitting on the armchair on the right side of the table, her posture deceptively patient and relaxed as she waited for a report from the junior.

Fuuka cringed inwardly and, acknowledging that she lacked the skill to control her emotions, subtly turned her face away from where her sempai sat in order to hide her facial expression lest she revealed anything.

"Yamagishi." Mitsuru's voice was firm; her relaxed mask slipping slightly.

"Er… uh…."

"…Nnngh…." Shinji's shoulder jerked abruptly, causing Fuuka to jump. His facial expression was strained.

_W-whaaat? _Fuuka mentally gasped, staring hard at Shinji, who groaned again. _Shinjiro-sempai is… alive?_

Yukari, who was standing nearby, instantly knelt on the floor next to Fuuka and summoned Isis. A faint, golden glow enveloped Shinji's body. The discomfort on his face eased after a moment. Fuuka stood up and analyzed Shinjiro for the umpteenth time while Yukari continued to use her Dia abilities to soothe his pain. She finally detected life within him… but just barely. Definitely not enough to keep a person going. Of course, Fuuka was glad just because he was able to regain consciousness, but something felt… off.

The warm glow vanished as Yukari relaxed her arms. Shinjiro wheezed and coughed. His eyes blinked open.

He was awake at last.

Yukari sighed and straightened, Isis returning to her psyche. Koromaru, who was curled up comfortably on Shinjiro's feet, felt the change in the axe wielder and quickly leapt to the floor and began a mad dash around the couch, barking excitedly. Junpei, who was cleaning up the remains of the ashes from the fire, looked up, saw Shinjiro waking up and exhaled loudly with relief. "Phew! He woke up!"

Shinji stared at the ceiling for a few moments before painstakingly bringing himself to a sitting position on the couch, leaning against the back of the sofa and placing his bare feet on the floor.

"Yo, sempai!" Junpei bounced over, smiling good-naturedly. "How're you feeling? You really scared us, collapsing like that." As if to agree, Koromaru jumped up on Shinjiro's lap and began licking his face. He petted the dog affectionately, but his face had this guarded look as he stared at the people in the room. He said nothing to Junpei in reply.

Fuuka felt uncomfortable as she felt her sempai regard her with a curious yet questioning gaze, as if he were memorizing her face; as if he was seeing her for the first time. Also, there was something decidedly _different _about him. Before, when Fuuka happened to be in the same room as her enigmatic senior, he always exuded an air of complete calm and control - he gave the impression that he was unshakeable. His movements were always restrained, yet had the subtle grace of an athlete. He was the gruff yet kind and extremely capable, dependable big brother type. She also felt some kind of wall surrounding him, blocking him from her, the members of SEES and the rest of the world.

And now...now he was...

"I came cause Mitsuru-sempai called for me just in case, and I get caught up in this?" Yukari muttered. "Give me a break."

Just like that, the spell was broken.

Shinjiro gently eased Koromaru aside and studied himself. "...Huh? Where the hell are my clothes?" He was still wearing pants, but his coat and T-shirt was off, leaving his muscled torso bare. A long length of bandage had been wound twice aound each shoulder and wrapped around his stomach area. His beloved beanie had also been removed from its rightful place on his head.

A suspicious reddish tinge colored Mitsuru's and Yukari's face.

The Ice Queen was the first to recover. "Yukari and I combined our healing arts to save you. We found some strange things under the floor... there was no sign that you would wake up, so instead of waiting, we tried everything we could...,"she explained. Yukari quickly injected, "Your coat and shirt were badly burned by the fire, so they had to go... but, your beanie came out just fine, sempai." She stepped forward and held out the said beanie to him.

"Hn," was all Shinji said, taking the knit cap from the junior.

Junpei scratched the back of his head and sighed. "It still sucks, though, getting bossed around by _him _like that..."

"...Him?"

"Black Condor managed to escape, but we succeeded in capturing his partner," Fuuka explained. "And when we tried to interrogate him, all he said was 'if you want Shinjiro to live, you shouldn't let him get involved.' He also gave us some medicine to apply to your burns, which I might add, worked surprisingly well."

_And if it wasn't for the medicine he gave us, you would've died, _Fuuka added silently.

Without another word, Shinjiro stood up and made his way over to the kitchen area (or, to be more precise, what _remained _of the kitchen area). Mitsuru stood up from her chair as well, and followed after the gruff senior and the others.

A little past the trapdoor sat a figure in a red Featherman R uniform, chained to the chair. Akihiko and Ken were standing guard on both sides respectively. "Yo," Akihiko greeted Shinji as he approached. "Looks like you've been through a lot, sleepyhead," he teased. Fuuka had to smile at her sempai's show of bravery because in truth, Akihiko had been out of his mind with worry the whole time.

"No worries here, though - he's on his best behavior," Akihiko was saying, gesturing towards the Featherman in the chair.

"His name is Red Hawk, and he's the leader of the Phoenix Ranger Featherman R!" Ken just couldn't resist inserting background information, to everyone's amusement (and bewilderment). Realizing his blunder, Ken cleared his throat and said in a more mature tone of voice, "...Anyway, he won't be able to cause any trouble. We have our Evokers this time."

However, Red Hawk himself did not seem to be paying attention to the conversation. Nobody in the room could really tell because of his custom Featherman helmet, which covered his entire head.

"..."

"What do you gotta bust things up like that for? I mean, today's _my _turn to clean the place!" Junpei whined.

"..." Red Hawk did not respond.

Junpei's eyebrow twitched. Fuuka could've sworn she saw a vein pop in his head, right through his cap. "Hey, quit with the silent treatment and say something," Junpei demanded, slightly peeved.

"...zzZZZzz..." Red Hawk snored softly. Junpei's jaw dropped in disbelief. "Are you serious? You were sleeping all this time?"

At that, Red Hawk jerked a little. They heard him yawn through his mask. Scratching his arm, he looked up at the all people standing around him. "Mm... Huh?"

"You look pretty comfy there... 'I aint afraid of no humans, huh'?" Junpei grouched.

"...What the heck are you talking about? I'm human," Red Hawk said. "You make it sound like I'm some kind of mysterious invader, or something..." He levelly regarded each SEES member's face with disinterest. But when he got to Shinjiro, he drew back, surprised. "Ah..."

Shinji stepped forward. "You worked with them to help me?"

"The reason I came here in the first place was to warn you, but I was too late - Condor had made it here first, and ambushed you and your friends. Helping you heal was the least I could do," Red Hawk replied. He lifted his chaned arms. "These restraints aren't necessary. I won't attack."

"...Just in case you haven't figured it out yet, I'll give it to you straight - nobody in hell is going to believe what you say until you explain to us why," Shinjiro advised. Everyone else in the room turned back to Red Hawk expectantly.

"It's... it's because... well, if you must know... it's probably all my fault," Red Hawk said at last. "I mean, I think it's my fault why my br- ...er, Condor decided to attack. And I... this is my responsibility, so...," he trailed off.

Shinjiro shoved his fingers through his hair with his free hand, thinking hard.

Coming to a dicision, he said to no one in particular, "Let's release him." Everyone stared at him, confused.

"I don't know if he can be trusted or not, but it doesn't seem like he wants to fight," Shinjiro said matter-of-factly. "Besides... if he really is 'Red Hawk', then the chains won't hold him anyway." "Yup. Red Hawk is the second strongest in the Featherman group when it comes to physical strength," Ken added, proud to know this inside information.

As if to prove their point, Red Hawk took a deep breath and yanked hard on the chains, which snapped loudly and easily. He stood up and flexed his newly freed arms and wrists, testing them for stiffness.

"...Huh?" Junpei exclaimed. "Then these friggin' nonstop shifts were for _nothing_?"

Shinji didn't seem surprised in the least, to Fuuka's amazement. Instead, he continued to interrogate Red Hawk. "First, tell us who you are, and your real purpose for being here."

"...I am Feather Hawk, the captain of Sky Force's X-6 Phoenix division, and the leader of Featherman R," Hawk responded. "As you can see... Feather Condor is also my teammate. As for my purpose... it's simply to save you and your friends from this hopeless situation."

"...Hopeless situation?" Shinji repeated. He eyed the others. "Hey... what the hell happened while I was asleep? ...How long was I out, anyways?" It was Red Hawk who answered, "Since your battle with Feather Condor ended, I'd say about four hours have passed... yet right now the date and time is March 31st, 11:59pm. Tomorrow, and all the days that follow, will also be March 31st, 11:59pm. At this rate... it will last forever." Hawk paused, then said, "You felt it, too, didn't you...? Four hours ago, right before you and Condor clashed... the moment when _time skipped_...?"

"'Skipped'? Do you mean what we felt at midnight? Then... are you trying to tell me that _time has stopped_?" Shinji demanded, obviously skeptical.

Akihiko suddenly spoke up. "That's not all," he told Shinjiro. "...We haven't been able to leave the dorm since Yukari and I got here. That makes two ways we're trapped here."

"_Shit_," Shinjiro spat. He ran his fingers through his hair again, this time with anxiety. He took a deep breath, trying to regain some composure with an effort Mitsuru noticed and respected.

"So...," Shinji said at last, "...care to explain why the fuck is this happening?"

"I can try," Hawk shrugged. He crossed his arms over his chest and gave every appearance of thinking deeply. "...The Abyss of Time below us is causing a... space-time distortion," he said slowly, careful with his choice of words.

"...Abyss...of Time? ...You lost me," Shinji stated, shaking his head. Mitsuru stepped forward. "It's difficult to explain... It may be easier to show you."

"I agree. Please, follow me," Red Hawk said. With that, he left his spot, approached the trapdoor and headed down the stairs.

"Wha-? H-hey! Who elected _you _mayor?" Yukari complained. Nevertheless, she and her fellow SEES members trailed after Red Hawk and descended into the Abyss of Time...


	5. Beginning, Part 5

A/N: I'm sorry everyone because, ugh, a lot of the dialogue in my story is from the game script.

To those who've played The Answer, the appearance of TWO new characters instead of just ONE marks the start of the line that separates Aigis' story from Shinji's. In my opinion, there are still a lot of unanswered questions regarding Shinji's backstory, and unlike Aigis who was fixated on one thing (to protect MC), Shinjiro has quite literally been through hell and back – and has a whole lot more on his plate to deal with than Aigis, so it follows that he'll have a bit more character development, right?

To quote Kaze Mirai, who reviewed chapter 4: "Maybe there's yet another part to Shinji besides cooking, dogs, and generally acting like a jerk."

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Abyss of Time, Desert of Doors

She would never admit it to anyone because it seemed weird, and the timing would be totally wrong, what with all the problems that were piling up… but Mitsuru honestly thought that the Desert of Doors was breathtakingly beautiful to look at. An abomination and a dangerous unknown force, to be sure, but nevertheless the Kirijo heiress was dazzled. Mitsuru was directly behind Shinjiro and Akihiko (both of them wasted no time getting in the front of the group for a better look) as they descended the stone staircase and quite literally entered a different world.

She blinked once, twice – trying to get accustomed to the glaring brightness of the Abyss. Unlike the dorm, which was still experiencing a blackout, and you needed candles and flashlights to move around without bumping into things, the entire world beneath the lounge floor seemed to be bathing in the afternoon sun. Mitsuru quickly surveyed this strange plane, seeing nothing but sand…sand…and more sand.

At the bottom of the stairs was a slightly different story: aside from endless desert stretching out as far as the eye could see, there was a ring of strange doors.

Red Hawk came to a complete halt in the center of the ring. Shinji, Mitsuru and the other members stopped at the foot of the steps. "This is the Abyss of Time," the Featherman told the members, his back still turned to them. "No map of this place exists… its structure changes frequently, and as time passes, branches off farther and wider than before…."

"It's clear just by looking at it that this place was not man made. It might be the product of some dangerous power, the way Tartarus was…," Mitsuru remarked.

Junpei shook his head. "Sheesh, haven't we had enough of that kinda stuff by now?"

"And how could something like _this _have appeared under the lounge?" Akihiko added.

"Well, at first, the Abyss was a small thing, you see," Red Hawk said, still not turning around to face them. "But then about a month ago, without warning, it began to spread out, and formed a link to your dorm. …I know I just called it the 'Abyss of Time', so it's a real irony that 'Time' itself does not exist here. And since your dorm is now essentially a part of the Abyss… um, to put it simply, the Abyss is the reason why you can't leave the dorm and why time has stopped."

Mitsuru studied Red Hawk warily. Although he seemed to have a hard time explaining it, to Mitsuru it was as if he knew a great deal about this place and understood it quite well. And that fact alone put her on guard.

"Is there any way to get everything back to normal, Hawk-san?" Ken asked.

"My br- …uh, comrade, Feather Condor, has already tried the simplest, most direct and most effective way," Hawk told him. "…Eliminating the Wild Card."

Shinjiro bristled suddenly as he said this, surprising Akihiko and Mitsuru. "…What does she have to do with any of this?" He asked quietly, trembling with anger.

"…'She'? Wait, don't tell me -!" Akihiko started.

"The 'Wild Card' is the one who wields multiple Personas," Red Hawk clarified for the other members who didn't catch on. "The Abyss connected to this dorm, as if drawn to it… that, together with the way you can all perceive the time skips… that was all the motivation Condor needed to kill her… and all of you."

"What the hell? We've never even heard of this place before!" Junpei shouted.

"I pleaded with him to look for another way… I'm sorry," Hawk apologized.

"Whatever. Just tell us how to get out," Yukari demanded impatiently.

"…" Red Hawk turned around and looked as if he were about to reply, but hesitated.

"…Hey! I asked you a question!" Yukari's voice rose several octaves. Junpei, who was standing closest to the girl, winced and edged away from her. When Red Hawk didn't respond, Yukari was about to say something else, but stopped, comprehension dawning on her.

"D-don't tell me… _there's no way _to escape from this place!" Yukari shrieked.

Everyone gasped.

"I-if we can't leave the dorm… how will we eat?" Fuuka cried. "There's still no electricity, and the water might run out soon… If we're stuck here for long enough, and we run out of food… are we going to starve to death?"

"NOOOOO!" Junpei wailed.

But Fuuka wasn't done yet. "A-and what about Aigis? She's badly damaged, but if we can't leave the dorm, we won't be able to get her to the lab! And what about our leader? She's unconscious, and relies on her ICU to breathe… once the emergency generator runs out of power, she might die!" At this, Shinjiro immediately turned around to face the girl. "What did you say?" He took a long, hard look at the others. "…She's still here? Why didn't anyone tell me about this, dammit?" He asked, clearly upset. Fuuka, realizing her mistake, lowers her head, her face flushed.

Mitsuru felt that she was partly to blame – she knew and understood his deepest feelings, but failed to properly react to the situation. So she stepped forward to explain. "I'm sorry, Aragaki," she apologized, giving the teen her most contrite look. She also had unwittingly used the most formal way to talk to him again. "So much has happened since you fell unconscious…. When you finally woke up my original intent was to tell you, but I couldn't seem to find the right moment."

Glancing at Fuuka, who still had her head down with shame, she continued, "Aigis was the first to engage Black Condor… and the first to fall. After the battle Yamagishi immediately checked her with the leftover Dark Hour equipment that had yet to be uninstalled in her room. Physically, she was fine – she sustained no heavy damage. However... no matter what we did, she wouldn't wake up. Right now she is in her room."

Mitsuru paused, wondering how she could say her next words. She settled for the blunt truth. "As for our leader, I wish I could say that she's alright, but we have no way of knowing that to be true."

"…What do you mean?" Shinji asked. His voice was low and mild, but the Kirijo felt as if she were just given an order.

Mitsuru plowed on with her explanation, feeling as ill-equipped as a bull with its horns cut off. "Around the same time Yukari and Akihiko arrived, we soon discovered that we were unable to open her bedroom door. We've tried everything – we used the room's spare key, we tried the dorm's master key, we even attempted to break it down by force."

"What about the nurse that was supposed to take care of her? Isn't she in her room? Why didn't you just knock and ask her to open the door?"

"When called for her, there was no response," Mitsuru told him.

Red Hawk suddenly said, "This may sound strange to hear, especially since her life is in mortal danger, but… perhaps it was because her room was shut that Black Condor decided to retreat for the moment."

He looked at everyone. "Think about it. He came to kill her, the Wild Card, and with every single one of you defenseless, he could've easily done so. But he didn't."

Mitsuru narrowed her eyes at him, trying to see through any lies, any form of deception he may or may not have used. She sensed none.

"He'll be back," Hawk was saying. "I know him. He's pretty straightforward in everything he does… it shows in his fighting style. Once he's focused on something it's quite impossible to stop him. He's most likely searching the depths of the Abyss for the keys, in order to open her bedroom door…."

"Keys? What keys?" Akihiko asked the Featherman. Mitsuru looked at the silver-haired teen. It didn't seem like he was ready to believe anything Red Hawk was telling them.

"Strewn throughout the Abyss of Time are special keys that grant the wish of whoever wields them. They are called the Keys of Time. The number of Keys that exist usually change along with the structure of the entire Abyss. They represent the strength of one's heart," Red Hawk informed the group. "Beyond knowing the name and their power though, I'm completely in the dark as to where they came from, when they appeared, and what their true purpose in the Abyss is. But what I do know is that each an every one of you have irrevocably become part of the Abyss of Time – so it follows that right now there should be at least eight Keys."

Red Hawk took a deep breath. "A Key represents the strength of one's heart… and also the depth of its connection to one's soul. I think that the reason why your friend is still unconscious until now is because Black Condor took her Key. Her 'heart'… was her entire life. As far as I know, for normal humans, a Key taken by force could've killed them instantly… it's essentially the same thing as saying Condor took her life."

Ken, who had been quiet for some time, suddenly spoke up, worry evident in his voice, "Aigis isn't dead, is she? I mean, if we ever escaped from the dorm, they could always fix her at the lab, right?"

Red Hawk shook his head. "It would probably be easy to replace any damaged parts in your friend's body – she's still technically a robot – but in the end, she… may no longer be the same person you all know."

The weight of the SEES's current predicament was rapidly becoming heavier by the minute. By this time Mitsuru had already formulated a plan in her mind.

"Listen to me, everyone," She began, walking to the front of the group to address them. "It seems that, once again, we will have to investigate, and there will be battle involved."

"…Wait, is this a joke?" Yukari whined. "Sempai, are you seriously telling us to go back to the way things were when Tartarus was around?"

"Never mind that – how are we supposed to believe whatever _he _says and jump in there blind?" Junpei added, not bothering to conceal his obvious distrust of the Featherman.

"Right now, our top priority is survival," Mitsuru said. "We have to find a way out of this nightmare, and we can only find it by entering the Abyss to search for one…." She looked over her shoulder at Hawk. "I have a hunch that we'll find what we're looking for at the deepest level of the Abyss. The source of all our troubles… if we eliminate that source, doesn't it follow that the Abyss itself will vanish, and we'll be able to make our escape?"

Red Hawk tilted his head to one side as if to ponder the idea. "…I didn't think about that before, but it seems possible," he confessed. He suddenly brought himself up straight. "However, I can't allow you people to enter the Abyss. Don't you know how dangerous your plan is, miss? Ever since those strange creatures appeared…."

Mitsuru's eyebrows raised at the mention of "strange creatures". She felt she already had a good idea what those "creatures" were….

"…and in addition, the Abyss of Time is Black Condor's home. You're walking right into a death trap!" Hawk argued. "I mean, don't any of you value your lives at all? If I can't convince you to stop this foolhardy idea of yours… at the very least, let me come with you! I, too, am familiar with this place, and I can at least help you avoid any traps Black Condor could've possibly lain out for you…."

Shinji chose this moment to voice his own opinions. "Of course, we all wanna live," he said, his earlier displeasure seemingly gone. "But you have ties to a guy who showed up as an enemy. We can't trust you with our lives right off the bat." "I'm not even buying your reason for being here," Akihiko added meaningfully. "You say you came to warn us, but what's in it for you?"

"…'In it'?" Red Hawk retorted angrily. "I'm doing this because I'm a member of Phoenix Ranger Featherman R! It's my duty to protect you!"

Mitsuru turned around to face Red Hawk. "About that… your claim doesn't fit the facts. To my knowledge, 'Phoenix Ranger Featherman R' is a television program which, I might add, airs twice every Sunday. You say that the Abyss of Time is uncharted territory that none up till now have ever set foot in… to hear you talk, it's as if you've been here from the start, and that bothers me."

"No, that's… I…."

"…In the series, Red Hawk is 26 years old," Ken added quietly, obviously confused. "Yet… judging by the sound of your voice and by your body physique, I'd swear you were Sanada-sempai's age."

"…Er…uhh…."

Junpei folded his arms over his chest and glared at Hawk. "Well? We're waiting… Hope you've got a good answer. Cause if you're stringing us along, we're not gonna let you get away with it…."

"…." Red Hawk looked down at his booted feet.

"Ugh! I'm tired of this!" Yukari sighed dramatically, raising her arms for emphasis. "Look, Mitsuru-sempai, we're not getting anywhere with this, and if we're planning on bringing him along, just do it already. I mean, if investigating is the only option we have, I just wanna get it over with."

"…Maybe we should finish him off now, so he can't backstab us," Akihiko suggested.

Ken choked out, "Sanada-san, wait! W-we don't have to go _that _far… Er, what I'm trying to say is, maybe all he really wants is to protect us…." Mitsuru smiled inwardly at his pleading tone. Despite the numerous suspicions surrounding "Red Hawk", he still believed in him. Loyalty until the end.

Mitsuru turned to the group. "…As I was saying, the only choice open to us at the moment is to investigate the Abyss of Time. Red Hawk seems to be well versed with the workings of this place, and would make a valuable guide. However, despite his "mission" he seems to have close ties to our new foe, Black Condor, and these ties would undoubtedly cause more problems for us all in the future…."

She turned to Shinjiro. "I've been thinking it over… And I believe Aragaki should take command. If someone with the power to change Personas is in charge, we can proceed the same way as before. And if you, as our leader, approve… I have no issue with Red Hawk accompanying us."

"…" Shinji just stared at the redhead. The prospect of being "in charge" apparently didn't register fully in his brain yet.

Red Hawk suddenly reached out to Shinjiro. "Please, let me come with you… I'm tired of being powerless, of feeling helpless. I want to protect you all. I want to do _something, anything at all _to help, so…Please."

"…!"

Mitsuru was aware of the subtle, abrupt change in Shinjiro. His back straightened a little, and he changed his restless stance into one of challenge as he stared Red Hawk down.

"… If you so much as lay a finger on these guys, I'll pound you into the sand," Shinji told Hawk, his voice gruff and threatening.

"Understood," Red Hawk replied, dead serious.

Beside Mitsuru, Akihiko looked away and muttered, "This better not comeback to bite us in the ass…." After a moment he looked up with a strange expression on his face. "Hey, Shinji…."

"…? What?"

"Since Mitsuru just mentioned it… what's up with you suddenly having _her_ power?"

An uncomfortable pause.

"I… don't know." Shinji shrugged. "I was half unconscious when it happened, so…."

"Red Hawk… do you know anything about this?" Akihiko pressed. Hawk shrugged, too. "How would I know? I just met him."

"…" Akihiko didn't look satisfied with this answer in the least, nevertheless he allowed the subject to drop.

"If we're going into combat, this clothing won't do," Mitsuru remarked. Everyone looked down at what they were wearing and grumbled. "Well, you and me are still Gekkoukan students until that magic degree comes in the mail…" Akihiko allowed, smiling, his earlier tension fading.

"Especially in your case, Aragaki," Mitsuru told him because aside from the bandages, he was topless and barefoot. "You're our leader, and you just woke up – I can't have you leading us into the Abyss' depths with such poor covering. Do you have anything that would be suited for battle? As you know, your previous garments were burned away by the fire…."

"Yeah, yeah," Shinji waved her off nonchalantly.

Mitsuru glared at him suspiciously before turning to Fuuka – but not without making a mental note to check up on Shinjiro to see just how "proper for battle" his new clothes would be.

"Sorry to trouble you, Yamagishi, but could you retrieve the armbands and the equipment from the command room?"

Fuuka smiled. "Of course. Oh! And, the things we found when the floor opened up… I'll look into them once I have a chance. Maybe I can learn something."

"Alright, everyone, let's get back upstairs," Mitsuru told everyone.

* * *

While everyone else trudged up the stairs, Shinji paused to absorb everything that had just happened.

_So, I'm "in charge", huh? _Shinjiro thought. Truth to be told, he had mixed feelings with his new position in the club. He was perfectly content and comfortable before, when he was just plain fighting. He was ok being in the background.

And all of a sudden the entire situation reversed – from now on, everyone on the team would be watching him fight, relying on him for orders and making decisions, asking him pointless questions he didn't want to answer, and worst of all, just plain _noticing _him and deferring to him because of his new power. He felt like he was trapped in the eye of the storm – with absolutely no safe way out – and his only choice was to blindly go where the storm led him, wherever it may be.

"Aragaki-san…" Red Hawk had lingered behind as well, and was trying to get the teen's attention.

The newly-appointed leader turned around to face him. "What?"

"Aragaki-san, I find referring to you that way in the heat of battle quite a mouthful. I… I promise to do whatever you say, so… can I call you by nickname?"

This was the absolute _last _thing Shinjiro expected Red Hawk to say. He was caught off guard. He pondered for a moment the options currently open to him:

One, he could deck Red Hawk over the head and call him an idiot; two, he could just ignore the request like any sane person and go up the stairs; or three…

"Do whatever you like," Shinji grunted. "Just don't get in my way."

Red Hawk bowed gratefully to him. "Thanks, sensei!"

Before Shinji could say anything to that in reply, Red Hawk charged up the stairs.

Shinji sighed and scratched his head. He _did _say Red Hawk could do anything he wanted, as long as it wasn't in his way….

Sighing a second time, he slowly climbed the stone staircase.

* * *

March 31st, 2010  
Shinjiro's room

The plain white polo shirt went on first, over the bandages, and down. Shinji grunted a little in surprise as he checked himself out – the pants and the polo shirt was a perfect fit. He glanced suspiciously at the dark jacket that came with the entire ensemble, which he had laid out on top of his bed. The Gekkoukan school crest seemed to stare back at him. He had good enough reason to believe that it would fit him, as well. How the hell did those two manage to get his size right every single time? He wondered. What, did they measure him while he was asleep? Steal one of the few shirts and jeans he owned and measured that when he wasn't looking?

It was thanks to the combined effort of Akihiko and Mitsuru that he got a Gekkoukan uniform to wear every year, even though he stopped going two years ago. That included his senior year, of course – and even though he'd told them to get off his back, they continued to give him various school-related things, encouraging him to come back.

And ever since he met _her_, he had begun to think about his future.

Shinjiro shook his head tiredly. He couldn't even think about the future right now – as of the moment, the future would never come.

He picked up the jacket and put it on slowly, admiring the way it felt as first his left arm, then his right slipped snuggly into the sleeves. Again, he checked himself out, this time unsure with the way he looked. It had been awhile, after all, since he'd actually worn something like this, and he wasn't too sure if he put it on right, or-

"Sempai, here's your armband and- Oh!" He heard someone gasp behind him. Cursing silently to himself for leaving the door wide open, he whirled around to find Fuuka standing there, her face flushed deep red.

"…You were saying?" In all honesty he was a little embarrassed to be seen looking like this so soon, and by a _girl _of all people… better to play it cool than to embarrass himself further. And, why was her face red like that? Was something inappropriate showing? He recalled those times that Iori kid did or said anything gross or suggestive, and was punished painfully for it by the resident females. Shinjiro did _not _want a taste of that.

"U-u-uh… er, here's your armband… and your, uh, neck lace…." Fuuka stammered. She held out the said items to him with a trembling hand.

Shinji eyed her hand dubiously. He looked at himself and back at the black tie. There was a candle burning in the corner so he had light, but he felt that he didn't want to make a fool of himself by putting any piece of his uniform on wrong. Maybe he could just skip using the tie altogether….

"…Thanks," he said finally, accepting the items from her. Fuuka bowed low, her face still deep red and weird looking in the candlelight, before mumbling her excuse and turning to leave.

Shinjiro sighed and looked over himself for the third time in ten minutes to make sure he was presentable enough for those sensitive girls.

_Ha ha, you look great, Shinjiro-sempai._

He smiled a little before he could stop himself. He could easily picture _her, _all charming, face smiling at him and her teasing tone of voice if she ever saw him wearing this.

If she ever woke up, that is.

He clenched his fists with determination, and confidence rose to the forefront, bringing with it strength. He straightened his shoulders.

_I will save you, no matter what it takes._

* * *

March 31st, 2010  
Dorm Lounge

"WHOA! Sempai, I had no idea you had a Gekkoukan uniform!" Junpei hollered the minute Shinji came down the stairs. Junpei himself, as well as everyone else had already changed into their school uniforms.

Shinji winced. _Announce it over the dorm intercoms next, will ya? _He thought sourly.

Ken was furiously (excitedly) talking to Red Hawk about something, but he peeked over his shoulder to get a look at what Junpei was yelling about. He spotted Shinjiro in his uniform and smiled. "I like your new clothes," he said honestly before turning back to Hawk.

Fuuka was helping Yukari rearrange some battle gear for easier accessibility, but when she noticed her sempai walk into the lounge, she grabbed Yukari's arm. The other girl looked up at Shinji automatically, and stared for five seconds before looking away. She mumbled something to Fuuka who, in turn, mumbled something back. They nodded to each other and stole more glances at Shinji. He glared at them. What's _their _problem? He wondered briefly.

"Shinjiro…"

Mitsuru approached him, a satisfied smile on her face. "This is a pleasant surprise."

Shinji spread his arms. "So? Is it _appropriate _enough for you standards?"

"Most definitely. I'm also happy to see that you decided to use the neck tie, unlike before."

"I _told _you before, didn't I?" Akihiko said smugly as he came up from behind. He lightly punched his friend on the shoulder. "Who's the idiot now?"

Koromaru ran towards him and sat down at his feet. He looked up at the teen with his dark, intelligent eyes and barked once. _Not too shabby._

Shinji blinked at the dog, bewildered. For a moment there, it felt as if he could understand what the dog was saying… that was impossible, right?

Mitsuru abruptly cleared her throat to get everyone's attention. "…All right, everyone seems ready. I'll be supervising the investigation and assigning you each of your roles. For now, I'm going to concentrate on finding any documents similar to the ones we found in the basement."

"So we're splitting up?" Akihiko asked the girl. "…Well, I suppose you are the only one who knows where to find that stuff." Everyone in the room looked apprehensive about the idea of splitting up, though.

"I'll try to rejoin the group the moment I find what I'm looking for," Mitsuru said reassuringly. "I'd also like a second team to handle another task… Someone has to look around to see if the Abyss of Time is connected to any other places than the dorm. We have no way of estimating how long we'll be in this situation, so a stable supply route is crucial."

Junpei raised his hand. "Hey, wouldn't Koromaru's nose be perfect for a job like that? I mean, if there's food or anything out there, he'll sniff it out." As if to say, "Leave it to me!" Koromaru barked. Junpei laughed and petted his head. "That's right, boy! You and me are gonna find an exit lickety-split!"

Mitsuru smiled at the pair. "Very well, I leave it to you two."

Turning serious again, she recounted the assignments: "That's that, then. Iori, Koromaru and myself will go our separate ways for now. The main investigation will be up to the rest of you, with Aragaki taking point." She faced the new leader and told him, "I'm counting on you."

**

* * *

**

**FREE TIME**

(You are playing as Shinjiro. You walk around the dorm a little and approach Red Hawk, who is standing by himself next to the couch you were originally sleeping on.)

Red Hawk: Hello, sensei. Is there anything you'd like to ask?

**

* * *

**

**What is the Abyss of Time?  
**What are the Keys of Time?  
Nothing.

* * *

Red Hawk: It's uncharted territory that has connected to your dorm, and spreads far and deep like a tree's roots. The structure changes day by day. The vast space beneath us is the Desert of Doors. Each door leads to a branch deeper inside, and can be used for movement and transportation. The Abyss of Time is the reason why time has stopped, and why you can't leave the dorm.

* * *

What is the Abyss of Time?  
**What are the Keys of Time?  
**Nothing.

* * *

Red Hawk: The Keys of Time grant the wish of whoever wields them, and represent one's strength of heart. The number of Keys that exist at any given time change with the structure of the Abyss… but it's safe to say that because at least eight of you are trapped at the moment, there should be one Key for each of you – eight Keys total.

* * *

What is the Abyss of Time?  
What are the Keys of Time?  
**Nothing.**

* * *

Red Hawk: Don't hesitate to ask any questions – it's vital for you, as our leader, to have a clear and concise understanding of our predicament.

**

* * *

**

**Check status/equipment  
**Add to party  
Nothing

* * *

PLv25 Red Hawk  
HP:300/300  
SP:150/150  
Weapon: Seeker Fist (At: 90 Hit: 88)  
Body: Featherman Uniform (Df: 60)  
Feet: Speed Sole (Ev: 34)  
Persona: Testament, of the Hermit Arcana  
Skills: Dekaja, Garula, Fatal End,  
Martyr Soul(fictional passive skill that enables user to take a mortal blow for an ally)  
Weaknesses: None  
Strong: None  
Nullify: None  
Reflect: None  
Absorb: None

* * *

Check status/equipment  
**Add to party  
**Nothing.

* * *

Red Hawk: I won't disappoint you.

(You wander around and bump into Junpei, who has something important to say…)

Junpei: Sempai, it's not that I've forgotten how to use my Persona… It's just, how do I put it… it feels like I've lost my touch. Ahh, it'll all come back to me sooner or later if I keep at it. …Alright, then! I'm gonna go with Koromaru and see if we can find some loophole outta this!

(You notice Koromaru sitting up straight, his ears perked up.)

Koromaru: Arf! Arf!

He seems to be staring right at Red Hawk.

…

…It looks like Koromaru wants to tell you something about Red Hawk.

It would've been easier if Aigis were here to interpret, but she is unconscious…

(Intrigued by Aigis' current condition, you go to the third floor to check up on her. You quietly enter her room and approach her "bedside".)

Aigis: …

Aigis isn't responding.

…?

You see something stuck to her ribbon… You quietly pluck it off.

It's a feather, as black as the night… You think back to Black Condor's attack. The color of the feather you hold matches the color of his wings… could it be from him?

…

You decide to keep the feather.

Obtained **Black Feather**

Aigis:…

Aigis isn't responding. You decide to leave her alone for now.

(Next, you exit Aigis' room and try opening _her _room door.)

It isn't supposed to be locked, but the doorknob refuses to budge beneath your hand… Some strange force is keeping this door closed…

(You go back downstairs and run into Yukari, standing a little to the left of the trapdoor leading to the Abyss.)

Yukari: The Abyss of Time down there is what's causing all this, right? Then let's go there and find the truth. We don't know what's inside, but we'll never find out if we don't look. By the way, sempai, I'm the only one with healing spells that affect our whole group. They'll come in handy if the enemy attacks us all at once.

* * *

Check status/equipment  
**Add to party  
**Nothing

* * *

Yukari: I'm ready when you are.

(Next to her, Akihiko looks a bit out of sorts.)

Akihiko: These last two months left me in worse shape than I thought… I haven't completely forgotten my moves, but I sure can't fight like I used to, either.

* * *

Check status/equipment  
Add to party  
**Nothing**

* * *

Akihiko: …You have her power, so it should be alright. Mitsuru wasn't mistaken when she chose you to take the lead. Still… be careful down there.

(Ken seemed really eager to join your party for some reason… maybe because Red Hawk was in your group?)

Ken: …Oh! Sorry, I wasn't paying attention, sempai. It's just that… I can't believe Red Hawk is really here, fighting with us… he's really cool.

* * *

Check status/equipment  
**Add to party  
**Nothing

* * *

Ken: I'll do my best!

(You notice that Mitsuru is already hard at work. She's surrounded by cardboard boxes stamped with the word "Confidential" on them.)

Mitsuru: With the dorm out of power, the time stopping, and Aigis out of commission, I don't think waiting around will solve anything. We'll have to fight. But, you needn't worry… No matter the reason behind this, we can overcome it. Anyways, I'm going to look around for any documents on my own. I leave the rest to you… Shinjiro.

(Fuuka was patiently waiting for you at the counter. You approach her.)

Fuuka: Our top priority is to restore power to the dorm. The sub-generator powering "her" ICU lasts for only about a day, which gives us about 24 hours. But, the blackout started four hours ago, which only leaves us with 20 hours. We can't afford to waste any more precious time than necessary.

Fuuka: If Red Hawk is to be believed, then Aigis is in no mortal danger, so we can leave her alone for the time being. Plus, while we investigate, we can search for more clues on what exactly the Abyss of Time is, and how to escape.

Fuuka: Are you ready?

**

* * *

**

**I'm ready.  
**No, not yet.


	6. Malebolge and the First Door

A/N: So, what did you guys think about the FREE TIME section? It's full of story-related dialogue that doesn't change the flow of the plot, but gives you some extra information and gives you a glimpse of what the SEES members are feeling. If you're the type who doesn't care about the little details and focuses on the fighting and the main story too much, these dialogues can be permanently missable. That's why I had fun writing those parts. ^^

Psst! Can you figure out why I made Red Hawk call Shinji "sensei"?

Sorry for the wait! This chapter is sort of like a filler, though… anyways, enjoy!

* * *

**"This ordeal... it may be that we brought it upon ourselves.**

**The fact that a future exists, and being able to access it are very different things.**

**We did not understand such an obvious and natural principle yet.**

**Indeed, we understood very little.**

**We knew nothing about using the key to open the path to the future."**

-Aigis, from_ Persona 3 FES: "The Answer"_

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Dorm Lounge

"Alrighty!" Junpei pumped his fist in the air with zeal. "Now that Shinjiro-sempai and the others have left, it's time to get investigating around for- HUH?" To his astonishment, Koromaru was no longer sitting on the floor next to him. "Koro-chan! Hey, Koro-chan! It's time to get going!" Junpei cupped his hands around his mouth and called. When Koromaru did not appear, Junpei began to sweat nervously. This was SO not good.

"What's up, Junpei? You sounded gung ho when Mitsuru handed out the assignments… why aren't you working?" Akihiko queried, walking up to him with a big cardboard box in his arms. The silver haired senior was not included in the initial investigation of the Abyss, so until further notice he was on standby. To pass the time he was transferring files from the Chairman's old room to the lounge for Mitsuru.

Junpei scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Er… well, I would've, but, uh, it seems that Koro-chan's missing, and-"

"…'Seems'? …Junpei, I think you'd better find him before Mitsuru catches wind of this," Akihiko advised the junior solemnly. "Trust me, you don't want a taste of Mitsuru's execution when she's high-strung. The pain would be five times greater than before."

And with that, Akihiko turned and marched into the kitchen where the said redhead was working intently.

Junpei shuddered. He mentally cursed himself for shouting out loud earlier and decided to search for Koromaru as quietly as he could.

_Ok, since Koro-chan didn't respond when I called for 'im here, he must be… upstairs!_

Sneaking as stealthily as he could past the kitchen so his sempai wouldn't notice, he made his way towards the stairs. Junpei paused, then went up the stairs to the 2nd floor… the boys' dorms.

"Koro-chan… c'mere, boy," Junpei coaxed. He walked down the hall and kept calling Koromaru's name. He stopped directly in front of the door at the end of the hall.

_Huh… come to think of it, this room's empty, right? Maybe Koromaru went in here…?_

Junpei tried the door – and abruptly pulled his hand back in shock.

The doorknob was _warm_… like someone had grasped it just a short while ago.

Tentatively, he touched the knob once more… but the warmth had faded. _…The hell? _Junpei thought, bewildered. _Did I just imagine it or something?_

Nevertheless he tried to turn it – it didn't budge. He jiggled the doorknob, but it was no use – the lock was secure. A chill slowly ran up Junpei's spine. He stepped back, frightened. _What the hell am I doin'?_

He had had enough of being creeped out. He shook his head and walked back to the second floor landing. This time, he was planning to check the 3rd floor.

Junpei made his way up the stairs and found the dog almost immediately, even though it was as dark as a tomb up there – Koromaru's white fur made him easy to spot.

"Hey, boy… what're you doin' up here all by yourself?" Junpei asked the little guy. Koromaru didn't even spare a tiny look at the teen. Instead, he scratched at the door he was sitting in front of and whined softly. Junpei realized with a violent start that the door Koromaru was currently pawing at was the door to _her _room.

He knelt on the floor next to the dog. "…You're real worried about her, huh?" He asked into the darkness, understanding dawning in his voice.

Koromaru whimpered and snuggled against Junpei, his fur tickling his chin. Junpei petted his head affectionately, comfortingly. "Don't you worry, Koro-chan. She's going to be alright, you'll see! I know Shinjiro-sempai and the others, too. I know they'll find a way to restore power to our dorm. You can trust them."

"…*whine*…" Koromaru did not look appeased. Junpei hugged him and comforted him as best as he could.

…_Shinjiro-sempai, everyone… I know you can do it. I'm counting on you guys. She used up all of her power to save us… we need to save her, too._

Koromaru refused to budge, and Junpei felt he shouldn't leave the poor dog alone up on 3rd floor in the dark, so he found a comfortable sitting position on the floor and stayed.

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Desert of Doors

Shinjiro led his team (Ken, Yukari and Red Hawk) down the stairs into the Abyss.

"Sempai, look over there!" Yukari cried out suddenly, pointing.

Just ahead of them, a clear crystal butterfly fluttered around a bit, and flew right into the first door.

"W-what was that?" Fuuka gasped. "It… just went through the door, right? For a moment, I sensed something… a human presence…."

"A human presence?" Ken repeated quizzically. "All we saw was that butterfly."

"Well, I only sensed it briefly," Fuuka explained. "But it's gone now."

Red Hawk glanced up significantly. "The door that the butterfly just entered… it's the first door."

"I wonder what it's like inside…" Fuuka trailed off. "…If we don't go in there, we can't do anything… this is our only choice. I'll give you everything I have to support you in there, so… Shinjiro-sempai, if you're ready… let's go!"

Shinji walked up to the door, placed a surprisingly steady hand on it and pushed. A bright light enveloped him and his teammates….

* * *

MITSURU'S FINDINGS

Journal #3, page 66 excerpt:

(The first half of the page has crumbled away)

"…and now we can finally begin the investigation of the strange formation that appeared beneath the Tower of Demise. The latest model of Anti-Shadow weapons are ready to go. The unmanned probes we sent to investigate initially never returned – it's highly likely they were destroyed by an outside hostile force. The investigation teams will have to prepare for the worst…"

(unreadable section)

"…stay? Why did the captain opt to leave immediately, without waiting for the signal from the Chief? I suspect that this investigation is unsupervised. However, I am only a lowly scientist. If I were to voice my opinions, I could potentially put myself in danger of being removed from the project entirely. And I can't afford that to happen."

"I made a promise…"

(the rest of the page has been burned away)

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Abyss of Time  
Malebolge

When the light vanished, Shinjiro and the others found themselves standing in what looked like a normal room. The walls and ceiling were made of marble, and the floor beneath his booted feet was covered with a rough, red and brown carpet that stretched wall-to-wall. Shinjiro even spotted a big wooden door at the other end of the room.

"…Is this it, Fuuka?" Next to him, Yukari held her bow at the ready, but she was shivering slightly, and her voice trembled. Nearby, Ken looked equally tense. Red Hawk's face was hidden by his helmet, but he stood rigidly, on the lookout for any hidden enemies.

"Yes," Fuuka's voice echoed back in reply. "It feels like an ordinary building inside… Everyone, I'm going to take a quick look at what the interior is like."

…_It's like Tartarus all over again_, Yukari thought wistfully, sadly.

Earlier, she had mixed feelings when Shinji picked her to join the initial investigation. It was her duty as a member of SEES to provide any support she could, and she was always happy to do so – she had special pride in being the team's main "healer", and never hesitated to use her Dia gifts to help her friends.

To support their leader.

Inwardly, Yukari's view of Shinji didn't change. Shinjiro-sempai was still Shinjiro-sempai, even though he had been assigned the role of leader.

To Yukari, no one on earth could replace _her_ as "leader".

Yukari snuck a quick peek at her axe-wielding sempai, who stared at a non-existent spot on the wall as he waited for Fuuka's update. Frankly, she was in awe of his new power. She was amazed… and something else. If asked to describe it, she would say she was angry, gut-sick… almost murderous.

What was this ugly feeling? Even she didn't know.

"Everyone!" Fuuka warned. "I'm sensing multiple hostile entities! It's the Shadows! Please take your battle positions! There's three of them waiting right outside the room you're currently in!"

Yukari automatically moved directly behind Shinji, her bow at the ready. Ken and Red Hawk positioned themselves on Shinjiro's right and left, respectively.

Shinji led the group to the door and paused in front of it.

"On three… Hawk and I will kick this door down to stun them. Yukari, be ready to shoot down any flying enemies. Ken, go for the smaller ones first."

Yukari carefully aimed an arrow at the door and stepped back a notch, so she could take out potential moving targets easier. Ken crouched into his battle stance, twirling his spear impatiently. Hawk stepped forward and stood next to Shinji, who began to count.

"One… two…"

In a sudden flash, the true meaning behind Yukari's ill feelings toward her sempai became clear.

_Jealousy._

"Three!"

BAM!

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Dorm Lounge, Kitchen Area

"…You're angry."

Mitsuru's dry statement was just that – a statement. It was not a question. And it was directed at her silent companion.

"…What was you're first clue?"

"You haven't made one single insult about the way I work since Shinjiro and the others have left."

Akihiko sighed and rubbed his eyes, suddenly feeling overwhelmed by the monstrous amount of documents to sift through on the table, which was precariously tilting over to one side. After walking up and down three flights of stairs, carrying box after box of files from the Command Room to the lounge while trying not to trip in the dark, he was dead tired… and all he did was carry stuff! These last two months had left him in worse shape than he thought.

How many hours had passed since Shinji led his team into the Abyss? Akihiko had no way of telling the time anymore… the only thing that could tell them that a day had passed was the time skips.

He gave Mitsuru a retired look. "I see your tongue hasn't lost any of its frost – despite everything we're facing right now it's still in top form, as usual. And since when have I ever insulted the way you work?"

"Just about every time you agree to help me gather information," Mitsuru replied. "Don't you remember? Just a few weeks ago, you commented my worktable reminded you of the cave from the story _Alibaba & the 40 Thieves_."

"Touche," Akihiko conceded, but failed miserably at looking contrite. He sighed, suddenly feeling very drained. "…Well, to answer your first question, no, I'm not angry. I'm just not in the mood for clever conversation right now."

Mitsuru hand stopped right where it was.

"Well, Akihiko, I am aware of the fact that I can never be up to par with _her _when it comes to listening and understanding people… but I want to learn how." She looked him squarely in the eye. "Tell me, Akihiko… are you familiar with the Kirijo Group's main guiding principle?"

"…No idea," he replied uncertainly, not sure where she was going with this.

"…The principle states that 'two in harmony surpasses one in perfection'," Mitsuru told him, setting down the journal she was reading through. "My father often told me not to try so hard by myself, to learn how to rely on others… when we went to my summer home in Yakushima last July, he reminded me of this, as usual… and as ignorant as I was back then, I never fully comprehended what he was trying to tell me… I could only think of my own selfish wishes. All this time I thought it was my duty to free him from the web of guilt he'd willingly walked into…."

"Mitsuru…"

"…That's why… that's why when that cretin Ikutsuki first approached me ten years ago and told me the only way I could help my father and the Group was to become a Persona-user, I foolishly believed in him and gave him my full support… I underwent painful, arduous tests and took countless amounts of drugs that were supposed to 'help' me summon my Persona…."

Mitsuru took a shaky breath and looked down at her lap. She continued, "Out of all the members of the Group who were proud of me, my own father, the one person I sacrificed my innocent childhood days for, was upset by the path I had taken. His displeasure hurt me, but… I couldn't turn back. Not when my 'gifts' had the potential to save lives… and I kept telling my self over and over that every sacrifice I made was worth the day I saw my father become a free man. And I… I guess I was somewhat angry at him for not acknowledging my power. I was angry at him for not understanding my feelings."

She smiled sadly. "The real irony was that I constantly demanded him to understand me… but not once did I try to understand him. Not once did I try to put myself in his shoes - not as the CEO of the Group, but as a man torn between his business obligations and his parental love for me, his only daughter… I had only begun to understand him when I opened up to Yukari and our leader."

"…Why are you suddenly telling me all this?" Akihiko asked at last.

"…Because you're making the exact same mistakes I made last year," Mitsuru replied solemnly. "…'Two in harmony surpasses one in perfection'… now I truly understand the meaning behind those words. My father was right: '**there are some things in this world that cannot be accomplished alone, no matter how many sacrifices you make**'. I've learned my lesson, so now it's your turn."

"…"

"Akihiko… there's no doubt you've matured dramatically this past year… all I'm saying is that there's no need for you to face everything alone. Shinjiro, Amada and I… everyone is here for each other. If you have a problem, open up to us, and we can find a solution. _All of us, together_."

_From now on, we'll always have each other._

Akihiko bolted out of his seat so fast the stool fell over backward with a crash. His mind had abruptly remembered his exact words to _her _the day he gave her that stuffed rabbit doll as a present.

Why? Why was he in so much pain? Mitsuru's words were beautiful – he _wanted _her to help him. But he couldn't get the words out of his mouth. The pain was too unbearable.

Why was his own body betraying him like this? He swore that he'd face everything head on, without looking back… with no regrets….

"Akihiko?" Mitsuru came out of her chair as well, obviously worried about his well being. She shook his shoulders, calling his name, but he didn't even notice her efforts to calm him.

All he could see was _her._

…

The day after she fell asleep, they had called in a doctor.

His final report had shocked Akihiko – everyone - to the core:

She was dying.

That day, no one said a word. It was all so hard to believe.

Their leader, their teammate, their friend, their _savior_….

She was dying.

The doctor predicted she had two months left in a comatose state at most.

The SEES members knew it was even less.

And Akihiko had felt those old, unwelcoming feelings return: the guilt, the helplessness, the powerlessness….

…

Akihiko was ready for a new start. Then, all of a sudden, he was forced to back to the way things were when Dark Hour still existed, forced to remember the past he was trying so hard to break free from. And as if that wasn't enough, Shinjiro….

Shinjiro gained _her _power.

Before he knew what he was doing, he had shouted out to a worried Mitsuru the one question that had tortured his every breathing moment since coming to the dorm.

"Why _him…_ and not _me_?"

"…Akihiko…," Mitsuru said, at a loss for words. Of course, she had had some insight as to what the silver-haired boxer was going through… but she never imagined his wound ran so deep into his soul.

"AaaaaaAAAUUGH!" Akihiko cried angrily and slammed his fist on the wooden counter. Hard.

While Mitsuru tried to calm him down, Junpei burst unto the scene with Koromaru. "Hey, Mitsuru-sempai, what's goin' on? I heard Akihiko-sempai shout and –" Junpei cut his rant short when he saw Akihiko apparently hunched over the counter, resting his head on the smooth wood. "W-whoa! Is sempai alright?" Junpei asked Mitsuru. Koromaru whimpered and trotted up to the boxer. He nudged his legs and whined, trying to comfort him.

Before Mitsuru could answer him (and really, what _could_ she possibly answer him? She wondered briefly) Fuuka's voice intruded into the conversation.

"Guys, they've made it! They've reached the bottom!" Was her happy announcement. "Shinjiro-sempai was able to open a shortcut… we need to head on down!" Sensing the heaviness in the air, she asked timidly, "Um… Mitsuru-sempai, did something happen?"

"Let's leave that for later, Fuuka – right now we've got something more important to do," Akihiko said suddenly, straightening. His abrupt comeback momentarily stunned Mitsuru, who was sincerely anxious about her long-time teammate's emotional stability. But then she relaxed and said, "Roger. We'll be heading there now."

Junpei punched the air with his fist. "Alright!" He cheered. He turned to the dog. "Did you hear that, boy? They've found something! I knew they could do it!" Koromaru joined in and barked happily.

A thought occurred to Mitsuru. She turned to him. "By the way, Iori… where have you been all this time?"

Junpei gulped and scratched his head nervously. "Er… uh… I was… uh, oh crap! Shinjiro-sempai and the others are waiting for us, right? They must be getting tired of waiting… eheh heh heh… umm, I'llbegoingnowokaybye!" Junpei said that last part so fast Mitsuru barely understood him. But before she could press him, he was gone, with Koromaru trailing closely and faithfully behind.

She sighed and turned back to the teen. "Akihiko…"

He waved her off and began walking quickly towards the trapdoor. "I'm fine, don't worry," he assured. He disappeared down the stairs. "Hurry up or you'll be left behind!" He hollered at her from somewhere down below.

"_Don't worry"? _Mitsuru thought. _…Akihiko, I'm __**already **__worried._

Mitsuru always trusted her gut instincts when all the available data didn't help. And right now, her gut feelings were telling her that Akihiko was planning to confront Shinjiro sometime in the near future.

About the past, the present, the future. The fighting. The friendship.

The unspoken feelings.

* * *

Abyss of Time  
Malebolge, Lowest Level

"...A door?" Shinji said to nobody in particular.

"Well everyone - here we are. The first 'goal'," Red Hawk announced.

True to his word, the very bottom of Malebolge was a kind of cross-shaped, floating platform with that familiar neon-colored teleporter to the west... and a huge door looming in the north. There wasn't much to see except the door, so that must've been what they were meant to find...

"...Still, this place is bigger than I first thought," Yukari remarked, taking in the sights. "Geez, how many more times do we have to do this?" "Judging by the Desert of Doors, I can assure you it won't be just once or twice," Red Hawk told her matter-of-factly. Yukari made a face. "...I was afraid you'd say that."

The Featherman continued, "We're searching for the root cause of all our problems, so logically speaking, it should be at the deepest level." Ken stared into the distance, distracted. "All we can do... is keep on going forward until the end."

"...Is it just me, or does it feel like Tartarus all over again?" Yukari whined.

Fuuka nodded at her friend's observation. "The two structures are very similar in some ways." "Not only that! We've got the friggin' SHADOWS wandering around!" Junpei added. "I thought I'd never have to see another one of those... but, hey - the Lost are all gone, right? So how come they're still around?" Akihiko shook his head slowly. "Another question that needs an answer... though it's not like we can leave until we find out."

Yukari looked down at her feet and shook her head. Mitsuru noticed her and said, "Hm? What's wrong?"

The girl frowned thoughtfully at her sempai. "Ohh... nothing... it's just that, after the hell we went through we finally had some peace. I was determined to keep my eyes on the future, and not look back. But, now I'm being dragged back to the way things used to be!"

"Yukari..." Mitsuru was at a loss for words. It was apparent that Yukari's feelings about this entire episode matched Akihiko's almost perfectly.

Red Hawk approached the huge door. "...As I've said before, time doesn't exist here. It's no wonder you feel that way," he said to Yukari with his back turned to everyone. "Listen... I know you want to move on without looking back at the past, so knowing this probably won't make you feel any better, but... the Abyss of Time offers you many opportunities to revisit your past."

"...W-what's that suppossed to mean?" Yukari asked.

Red Hawk touched his fingertips on the solid gold door in front of him. Immediately, it spread wide open and enveloped SEES in a bright light, and then...!

* * *

"GAH!" Junpei cried.

Everyone else stood completely and absolutely still, afraid that any sudden movements could cause the entire thing to dissolve away.

After a moment, Yukari gulped and spoke quietly, hesitantly:

"This is... Paulownia Mall?"

* * *

**FREE TIME**

Red Hawk Battle Quotes

Summoning Persona:  
-"Persona!"  
-"Come forth!"  
-"Soar! Testament!" (Enemy weak against attack/ Critical with Phys skill)  
-"No holding back, right?" (Enemy weak against attack/ Critical with Phys skill)

Critical Hit with Equipped Weapon:  
-"Finishing strike! Phoenix Punch!"  
-"Hyah! Take this!"

Unable to defeat enemy:  
-"I need backup!"  
-"...Guess I underestimated it."

Miss and fall:  
-"...Frankly, I'm quite ashamed..."

Knocked unconscious:  
-"N-no... not here..."  
-"Forgive me... Sensei..."

Revived from unconscious state:  
-"It's not over yet!"

Healed by ally's magic/item:  
-"You have my thanks."  
-"I owe you one, Sensei!" (to Shinji only)

Healing/Reviving an ally:  
-"Need a hand?"  
-"Don't give up, Sensei." (to Shinji only)

Ally defeats enemy/ knocks down enemy:  
-"Go for it!"

Requesting All-Out-Attack:  
-"Now's the time! Let's bring them to justice!"

AOA Request accepted:  
-"You're going down!"

AOA Request denied:  
-"Understood..."

Requesting Co-Op Attack:  
-"Let's show them who's boss!"

Arrival, after 'Request Help' option is used:  
-"Looks like I made it in time."

Saving Ally from death/ Hama or Mudo/ 1-Hit KO:  
-"I won't let that happen!"  
-"No! Sensei!" (to Shinji only)

Battle ends:  
-"To protect, and to serve."  
-"I will find the truth." (after Aigis' return to battle)


	7. June 30, 2009

In loving memory of my grandpa.

It's been almost a month and a half since he passed away… I want to apologize to all the readers who were wondering if I'd ever continue this story. When he left us, I didn't feel like writing, or doing anything at all… so please bear with me if my writing becomes somewhat fatalistic. I hope you'll keep on reading.

* * *

THE STORY SO FAR:

On Graduation Day (March 5, 2010), the SEES members regain all their memories of the Dark Hour and run to the promised place of reunion: the school rooftop.

That same day, the Female Main Character closed her eyes and fell into a deep coma, similar to what happened to Shinjiro last October 4. She spends the rest of the month in a private ward at Tatsumi Memorial Hospital, hooked to various life-support machines. The doctor predicts she will die in two months or less.

About a month after the events of Persona 3 Portable (the Female storyline), the former SEES members excluding Yukari and Akihiko hold a farewell party in their dorm, which was closing down. With Mitsuru's support, they transfer the Main Character out of her private ward and into her old bedroom at the dorm for the day.

Late that night, the dorm abruptly experiences a blackout, and a huge trapdoor appears in the lounge floor where a mysterious intruder appears. He is Black Condor, a member of Ken's favorite superhero group, Phoenix Ranger Featherman R. Everyone is defenseless save for Aigis, who is an Anti-Shadow weapon, and she combats him and loses. Shinjiro, who was already resting in his room for the night, was awakened by a frightened Fuuka, and battles Black Condor. In the heat of the fight, Shinjiro, despite not being able to summon his Persona anymore, suddenly awakens to the power to control multiple Personas. With his new Persona, Orpheus (female version) he manages to drive back Condor for the time being. Shinjiro falls unconscious due to fatigue and his wounds. The other members discover and apprehend Red Hawk, another member of Phoenix Ranger Featherman R, who was hiding nearby watching the entire thing.

Akihiko and Yukari, who were outside the dorm when it happened, quickly learned that everyone in the entire city has fallen into a deep sleep. They make it to the dorm to report. However, once they do, it becomes impossible to leave. Shinjiro wakes up hours later, his wounds almost healed thanks to Red Hawk's cooperation and Yukari's healing abilities. He finds that the dorm is still experiencing a blackout, and that time has stopped.

According to Red Hawk's explanation, everything boils down to the Abyss of Time, and the only possible way to escape is to collect the Keys of Time strewn throughout the Abyss. The SEES members decide to investigate, with Shinjiro acting as leader and Red Hawk acting as a guide.

Shinjiro's group reaches the bottom of the first door in the Abyss, the "Malebolge", where they find a mysterious entrance to some unknown place. Beyond that entrance, they soon discover… is Paulownia Mall.

* * *

Date Unknown  
Paulownia Mall(?)

"What's going on?" Akihiko exclaimed, looking around the brightly lit mall. "Did we… make it out some how?" Everyone else was speechless – just as Akihiko said, it was as if they had escaped the nightmarish Abyss… and ended up in Paulownia Mall to boot.

Junpei took of his hat and scratched the back of his head thoughtfully. "I dunno… something seems… off. Isn't it kinda hot in here?"

While everyone huddled together, whispering and looking around at the oddly nostalgic sights, a familiar face walked by.

"…You kids?"

"Oh, Kurosawa-san…" Akihiko recognized the police officer with a start. Everyone else was simply dumbfounded to see him. Officer Kurosawa was a strict, serious gentleman who manned the Police Station inside Paulownia Mall. He was also a special case because although he was aware of the SEES club's true nature, he himself could not experience the Dark Hour. Last year, he had supplied the group with weapons to use against the Shadows, claiming it was his duty as a police officer, but his motives for helping them out was anyone's guess.

The stern-faced officer narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "What're you kids doing out here on a weekday? Shouldn't you be in school?"

"Oh… it's spring break right now," Yukari explained.

"Spring break?" Kurosawa's brow furrowed. "That was a couple months ago. It's June now."

Red Hawk abruptly broke away from the group to stand near the fountain, and gave every impression of staring into the water.

Kurosawa eyed him suspiciously. "…And what's with that guy in costume? Is there some sort of event going on?" He asked.

_Well, you see, a place called the Abyss of Time appeared in the basement of our dorm, therefore preventing our escape with normal means, forcing us to entrust our lives to a superhero who shouldn't even exist in real life. With his help, we explored the Abyss, looking for a way to escape, and somehow ended up here after opening a door._ Junpei fought the urge to smack his forehead from the irony. Who the hell in their right mind would believe a story like _that_?

This dilemma was apparently on everyone's mind, because nobody said a word. Yukari stepped forward timidly, trying to think of something to say. "Uh…"

"Well, I'll let it slide. I know you kids are a little different. But if you try to use that as an all-purpose excuse, I'll have to enforce the law. Don't forget."

Without waiting for a reply, Officer Kurosawa ambled into the police box.

When the automatic sliding doors shut behind him, Mitsuru approached the bulletin board, where missing items, missing pets, and sometimes missing people's names were posted, and checked the date written in the listings.

"All the dates displayed here say 2009… and that calendar, too," Mitsuru noted aloud with some surprise. "Could the June he mentioned be… June of last year?"

"That's impossible!" Akihiko half shouted, causing some random passers-by to turn their heads and stare before going back to their business. "Are you saying this is the past?" When nobody from the group offered anything in reply, Akihiko shifted his attention to their "guide". "Hey! Red Hawk!"

Red Hawk continued to stare in the water. He appeared lost in thought.

"Hey!" The silver-haired teen was getting angry. "Are you listening?"

Shinjiro broke away from the group and approached Red Hawk, stopping when he stood almost directly behind him. The axe wielder noted with some interest that the self-proclaimed superhero was exactly his height and build, before shifting his attention to the matter at hand. "…Is the fountain really all that interesting to look at?"

"Uh, n-no, not at all," Red Hawk started. "It's just a fountain. It's everyday stuff."

Shinji suddenly found himself reminiscing about his childhood, about how he himself would gaze at fountains and wonder…

"Y'know, I used to look at fountains and wonder where all that water came from," Shinjiro heard himself say. For some reason, this caught Hawk's attention. The superhero looked over his shoulder at him. "R-really, sensei? Then, you feel the same-"

"But I can't think about that now," Shinji continued, slightly annoyed at himself for casually revealing a bit of his past to this stranger. "We were stuck in the dorm, we explored the Abyss to look for a way out, and we ended up here… but there's something strange going on. Not just for you – for all of us. Tell me… where are we, really? This isn't really the mall, is it?"

Red Hawk was silent for a moment before he turned his helmet-covered head back to the fountain. Shinjiro and the others held their breaths as Hawk explained in a loud voice so everyone could hear...

"We arrived in this place after passing through the Door, remember? Well, Doors like that exist in a number of places all throughout the Abyss of Time, and each of those Doors is connected to the past."

"Then… this really is last year?" Akihiko exclaimed in disbelief, his emotional outburst revealing what everyone else was feeling.

"…What else could possibly explain this sudden change in time, date, and season?" Red Hawk continued.

"The past? Oh, man…" Junpei muttered, pulling the brim of his hat over his eyes in a vain attempt to shield his eyes from… what? The truth?

Red Hawk turned around to face Shinji. "It's a good thing we found this place, Sensei!" He said, his mood suddenly bright. "We'll be able to get supplies – and whatever we can use – from this mall."

* * *

"Master Igor. It appears our esteemed guest has reached the first goal," Theodore announced.

Igor didn't move an inch, but Theo could plainly see that his master's interest was piqued. Without thinking, he added, "That was quite fast… given, he has a guide, but he reached the end of the first door faster than I expected. Truly, a warrior produces excellent results when his life is but a flicker away from vanishing."

The master of the Velvet Room chuckled. "You may have a point, Theodore. However! Our guest has long lost any hope he had for the future… what drives him is something he considers far more important. Indeed, this force is so powerful, the weight of his own life pales in comparison."

Theodore's brow wrinkled slightly is confusion. "Something… more important than his own life?" He wondered aloud, clearly skeptical that such a force could possibly exist, even in this realm between dreams and reality. He still had much to learn about humans, after all…

The male assistant cleared his throat and wisely chose to change the subject. "Master, about the one called Red Hawk currently traveling with them… who is he? Is he human?"

**

* * *

**

**FREE TIME**

(After you regain control of Shinji, you move to talk to Junpei, who's standing the closest to you. He's staring at the Door you all just came through, lost in thought.)

Junpei: Yo, sempai. I never thought we'd end up here. But, hey – at least we don't have to worry about starving to death. I think it's about time Koromaru and I stepped up to help with the investigation!

(Next, you talk to Red Hawk, who you find reading the bulletin board next to the Police Station.)

Red Hawk: Come to think of it, I believe I met Kurosawa-san before.

* * *

Yeah, right.  
**Really?**  
…

* * *

Red Hawk: Well, it's impossible, I know, because I've been living inside the Abyss for such a long time… but ever since I met you, Sensei, things I've always known, and things I feel I should know… are warring within me.

He seems troubled… you decide to leave him alone with his thoughts.

Perhaps you can talk to him again later…

(You approach Akihiko and Ken, who are sitting on a bench, having a conversation.)

Akihiko: First our dorm's hooked up to a labyrinth, and now we're in the world of the past…?

Ken: Red Hawk-san is taking this all pretty well, but I just find it all so hard to believe… in a way, this is a lot more serious than the Dark Hour.

Akihiko: Geez, what the hell's going on?

(On the other hand, Mitsuru, who is standing near the Aohige Pharmacy with Yukari, finds this situation ironic. You ask her to share her thoughts.)

Mitsuru: I'm happy we've established a steady route for supplies, but I didn't imagine it would be this way… The "Abyss of Time", hm?

(Yukari adds her two cents.)

Yukari: Hey sempai, didn't Red Hawk say there were a lot of places like this? Does that mean if we keep opening doors, we'll eventually find a way to escape?

(You notice Fuuka and Koromaru near one of the mall's exits.)

Koromaru: Woof!

He seems to be growling at something.

He appears upset as he looks ahead.

(Fuuka explains what's going on.)

Fuuka: Red Hawk's right – it doesn't appear that this place is connected to the outside world… You can't leave through here. You'll only be pushed back by some strange force.

(Intrigued, you try to leave the mall yourself.)

Something seems to be blocking your way...

It looks like you won't be passing this way any time soon...

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Dorm Lounge

"What the hell?" Shinji exclaimed.

After everyone had finished resupplying, Shinjiro had reopened the Door, went through, and somehow ended up back directly in the dorm. Directly behind the counter where the logbook was, in fact.

"…It looks like your dorm is fully connected to the Abyss of Time now," Shinji heard Red Hawk say from behind him. He was so shocked, he didn't even hear Hawk approach. "Maybe it's because everyone was hoping for frequent supply trips. At least this way, it'll be easier to move back and forth."

"That's not what I mean," Shinji replied, looking around.

Indeed, the fact that the Door now connected Paulownia Mall and their dorm directly was the absolute last thing on his mind at the moment.

"Helloooo!" Junpei hollered from somewhere behind them. "We're kinda blocked back here!" Red Hawk gently pushed Shinji out of the way so the others could enter. Junpei walked in with Yukari and did a triple take. So did she. "No way!" Yukari practically shouted. "When did the electricity come back on…? This is crazy!"

"Crazy is good," Junpei said shakily, taking of his cap to wipe his face, relieved. For once, Shinji agreed with him. Now that the dorm's electricity was restored, they could try to fix up Aigis, and most importantly, the ICU helping their unconscious leader to survive in her room would now be fully operational.

"Hey, hurry it up!" Akihiko yelled. "There's more of us blocked back here."

* * *

"It's no good," Fuuka announced as she came down the stairs. "I tried opening her door again, but it still won't budge."

Mitsuru tossed her hair confidently. "Have faith, everyone," she urged. "Although we still can't reach her, with the power restored to the dorm the life-support system set up in her room should be doing its job of keeping her alive just fine."

"At least we were able to turn on that machine in Aigis' room," Ken offered hopefully. "With this, she should recover, right?"

"Right," Fuuka agreed.

"All right!" Junpei proclaimed once everyone settled down again in the lounge. "Now that we've got our supply route, it's time me and Koromaru to get back to the action! Let's do this!"

"Woof!" Koromaru was apparently in accord with the fire man.

Akihiko crossed his arms over his chest. "…It was Shinji and the others who found the supply route, not you.

At this, Junpei pulled his hat over his eyes. "…Note to self – ignore Akihiko-sempai…" he muttered.

Red Hawk approached Shinjiro. "It looks like things are finally looking up, right sensei?" he asked, upbeat. Despite his earlier foray into the labyrinth, and his fatigue, Shinji felt a surge of excitement, too. "Right. And once Mitsuru finds whatever she's looking for and rejoins the investigation, our fighting power will be back full force," he replied.

Her face flashed through his mind again, but this time, it wasn't painful. It was like she was saying, _go for it_. It gave him a good feeling – it gave him strength. They had a long way to go… but he had this feeling that they were gonna make it.

Shinji's face was that of determination. _Nothing can stop me now_.


	8. The River of Wailing, Part 1

_Life is not measured by the breaths we take,_

_but by the moments that take our breath away._

_-_Anonymous

* * *

MITSURU'S FINDINGS

Journal #5, page 133 excerpt:

(The first half of the page is filled with notes and sketches that don't make a lot of sense)

Could it have been a false alarm?

After entering a door in the Desert and reaching what seems to be the deepest level, everyone in the investigation team has made it back to the surface safely. Although the Tower was teeming with Shadows, the Abyss contained none.

So what was it that destroyed the unmanned probes? Was it really a Shadow? A natural phenomenon, perhaps? Or is there something more dangerous lurking within the Abyss?

* * *

**FREE TIME**

(You are playing as Shinjiro. Junpei and Koromaru are ready to join the investigation, so you decide to have a little chat with Funny Man.)

Junpei: Oh yeah, in case you forgot sempai, let me give you a heads-up. My Persona rocks with fire. Koromaru's is good with darkness skills, and he shrugs off Mudo skills like water off a dog's back. I know we'll be useful somewhere, so let us know when the time comes.

* * *

Check status/equipment  
**Add to party  
**Nothing

* * *

Junpei: Yeah, you can count on me!

(You turn your attention to the dog in question.)

Koromaru: Arf! Arf!

He seems to be staring right at Red Hawk.

…

…It looks like Koromaru wants to tell you something about Red Hawk.

It would've been easier if Aigis were here to interpret, but she is unconscious…

(Since you have no way of understanding the dog at present, you walk over to Red Hawk to speak to him instead.)

Red Hawk: Hello, sensei. Is there anything you'd like to ask?

**

* * *

**

**What's beyond the second Door?  
**How do we save Aigis?  
Nothing.

* * *

Red Hawk: Past Cocytus, the second Door, is the plane where I dwell. Just like the rest of the Abyss, the corridors are ever-changing, but I am confident in my ability to guide you to the lowest level. …I must remind you, however, that Feather Condor lives there as well, and we will no doubt face him again soon. I suggest you outfit yourself with the best equipment available to you while you have the chance.

* * *

What's beyond the second Door?  
**How do we save Aigis?  
**Nothing.

* * *

Red Hawk: We need to somehow take back her Key from Feather Condor **without too much fighting**, or we risk destroying the Key. Condor is no fool – if we take too long he'll realize what we are trying to do, and **he will try to escape**, and we can't let that happen. I will go into detail when the time arises.

* * *

What's beyond the second Door?  
How do we save Aigis?  
**Nothing.**

* * *

Red Hawk: Don't hesitate to ask any questions – it's vital for you, as our leader, to have a clear and concise understanding of our predicament.

* * *

Check status/equipment  
**Add to party  
**Nothing

* * *

Red Hawk: I won't disappoint you.

(Ken looks a bit out of sorts as he stands in front of the window, looking at the view outside.)

Ken: The view from the window looks normal, but something doesn't feel right… I can't put my finger on it. Though it could be just my imagination… By the way, Junpei-san and Koromaru will be with us from now on, right? Koromaru's lucky to be so resistant to Mudo. It wipes me out in one hit.

Red Hawk: Don't worry about what you can or can't do – just use the talents you have and improve. And speaking of talents… aren't you strong against Hama attacks? A lot of our enemies rely on Light and Darkness to wipe us out, so we'll all be counting on both you and Koromaru to cover for us.

Ken: …Hehe.

Ken looks happy.

(Red Hawk is doing a pretty good job of inspiring Ken, so you leave the fanboy and his hero alone and speak to Akihiko, who was listening to the entire exchange.)

Akihiko: I thought I kept myself from getting rusty after grad, but I'm in worse shape than I thought… I guess working out at the gym just isn't like fighting for real. What're you gonna go, right Shinji?

* * *

Check status/equipment  
**Add to party  
**Nothing

* * *

Akihiko: …You're the boss.

(Yukari sits on one of the remaining couches left in the lounge, adjusting her bow.)

Yukari: I guess we'll be okay even if this drags on, since we can visit Kurosawa-san. *sigh* But seriously, how long is this gonna take…?

* * *

Check status/equipment  
Add to party  
**Nothing**

* * *

Yukari: …Be careful down there, sempai. See you later.

(Fuuka manages to call you attention near the stairs to the basement with an interesting perception.)

Fuuka: Red Hawk's really amazing. I've been reviewing some of the combat data, and I can see he's a really balanced fighter. His Persona has no weaknesses. Kind of like you before, sempai. But his fighting style resembles Akihiko-sempai's very much – they both can use gloves and claws, they both have excellent speed, and they both can take a physical hit.

(Mitsuru hasn't moved from her spot in the kitchen area, and she looks a bit haggard.)

Mitsuru: It'll take a little more time to gather clues. I'm sorry, but just be patient. I already had Yamagishi examine some of the documents I've found so far. We have quite a few of them, so I am confident we'll turn up something.

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Abyss of Time  
Cocytus

"He's here."

Red Hawk's voice sounded hollow and lifeless and…sad to Shinji's ears. They (Shinji, Red Hawk, Junpei and Akihiko) had just passed through the second Door and Shinjiro was already tense. He recalled his previous battle with Condor and didn't like it one bit. Were they really going to face him again?

"How do you know?" Junpei asked Hawk. He didn't need it spelled out for him regarding who they were talking about.

"I just know," Red Hawk replied simply, adjusting his brand-new Steel Knuckles, which Shinji had purchased for him at the Police Station. "When you've lived with someone for awhile, you just end up learning these things about the person."

"Fuuka, take a look and see for us," Shinjiro commanded.

Akihiko, who wasn't present at the dorm during the time of the attack, was fairly curious about this mysterious enemy. "What kind of fighter is this Black Condor, anyways? Does he use his fists, like you and me?"

"He's perfectly capable of fighting bare-handed," Red Hawk told him. "He's also adept at using a number of weapons."

"I'm not as good of a fighter as he is, so please bear with me," he added a second later.

As Junpei and Akihiko stared dubiously at him, Shinji slipped a hand into his pocket for the black feather he found on Aigis and dragged it out. The feather seemed to glow in the dim light. He turned it over and over in his palm and remembered how fast Black Condor moved, and how powerful his punches and kicks suddenly became. When did that happen? Where did he get that burst of energy?

"If Condor's here, that cuts away a huge amount of time we could've spent searching for him," Akihiko was saying to the others, cracking his knuckles excitedly. "We'll save Aigis in no time flat."

"Are you crazy, Akihiko-sempai?" Junpei whined. "He'd wipe us out in a heartbeat!"

Akihiko's eyebrows arched in disbelief. "Geez, Junpei, what's up with you? You've been acting completely out of character ever since Yukari and I got here. Aren't you usually the guy who rushes headlong into everything?"

"What?" Junpei shouted back defensively. "I'm not stupid! Well, sure, I've done some pretty idiotic things last year, but now it's different!"

Shinji continued to study the black feather in his hand, wondering. The feather itself seemed to be mocking him for his lack of strength…

He tucked the feather away back in his pocket before turning to face his teammates.

Akihiko and Junpei were still arguing, and Red Hawk wasn't exactly doing a fantastic job of breaking them up. So Shinji opened his mouth, getting ready to cut them off when Fuuka suddenly yelled, "Guys! I found Black Condor!"

This effectively shut up the two arguing teens.

"Where?" Shinji asked.

"He's on the floor directly below you – huh?" Fuuka gasped.

"What's wrong?"

"He – he's descended to the next floor… now he's two – no, three floors below you… it's like he knows you're here!"

"So what are we waiting around for?" Akihiko cracked his knuckles. "Let's catch up to him and knock him all the way to kingdom come!"

"…I sense he has stopped moving downwards," Fuuka reported. "I don't know what he's planning, but he's just standing in one place, exactly seven floors below you."

"Shit… how'd he get there so fast?" Junpei muttered to no one in particular. "Won't the Shadows attack him, too?"

Akihiko turned to Shinji. "Come on!"

Instead of giving the "go" signal, however, Shinji turned to Red Hawk. "Well?"

Hawk stared back. "I-I don't understand." He sounded puzzled.

Before Shinji could reply, Junpei interjected for him, "You're the guide, right? Tell us what that bastard's planning so we stand a chance."

"What are you talking about, Junpei?" Akihiko fumed. "We don't have time to stand around discussing what Condor will or won't do! If we don't hurry, we'll never catch up!" With that outburst, Akihiko made to move, but Shinji not-so-subtly positioned his body so he blocked his way.

"Shinji." The boxer's voice carried an odd note.

Shinjiro set his axe against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest, as if to fortify his blockade. "Not so fast. We still need to get some information from Hawk so we can think of a plan."

"Our sorry asses got kicked once already," Junpei reminded the senior. "It's really hard for me to say this, but we've got to be better prepared for whatever tricks he's laid out for us – and Red Hawk's all we've got."

Akihiko took a deep breath. He cracked his knuckles and took another deep breath. "…Ok, ok, you guys are right. I'm sorry," he said eventually. His face was anything but contrite, though.

Shinji accepted his apology wordlessly and shifted his attention back to Red Hawk, although he didn't relax his stance. He did retrieve his axe from the wall.

Suddenly emboldened, Red Hawk said, "Feather Condor most likely thinks of us as nuisances that can easily be disposed of – so my guess is that he's hoping Cocytus' natural environment will make short work of us."

Shinji looked up. "Did you get all that, Fuuka?"

"Yes I did, and I think I understand," their operator replied. "You're only on the first floor, so it isn't obvious yet… but from what I can glean from your surroundings, the temperature of the climate gradually decreases with each floor you descend to. It's most likely that the bottommost floors will be extremely cold."

Shinji nodded. "I see."

Junpei looked at Red Hawk. "And you _live _here?" He asked incredulously.

"There is a floor that is completely different than the rest of Cocytus," Red Hawk explained. "It's a really relaxing space, perfect for resting."

"Shinjiro-sempai, if you feel you are unprepared, I can search for an Access Point for you – it wouldn't be too hard, since you've just barely entered. That way, you can regroup back at the dorm and adjust the team so it better fits the conditions," Fuuka suggested.

Noticing the impatience on Akihiko's face, Shinji decided that he wasn't up to tolerating the boxer's foul mood any longer than necessary – might as well just get it over with, right? "Thanks for the heads up, Fuuka, but I think we'll just go up ahead and see what Black Condor's got in store for us," he said.

"Alright then," Fuuka responded. "Just to remind you, Black Condor is seven floors below your current position. It's pretty far, but still – as Mitsuru-sempai says, proceed with caution."

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Dorm Lounge

Mitsuru was enthralled in the "story" of a young couple who were both scientists involved with the Kirijo Group's Shadow Research Project. The wife, Mrs. Katsuragi, had kept multiple, orderly diaries of the project's progress, as well as including her own thoughts and fears within the pages.

Apparently, the couple had a son. Mrs. Katsuragi sometimes mentioned him in the diaries, but the only page where she said his name wasn't readable. She talked about her guilt of not being able to stay at home with their son, and how she looked forward to seeing him once it was all over.

This brought a little stab of pain in Mitsuru's heart. She was well aware that many scientists lost their lives during the course of the project itself, not just on the day of the explosion. Some of them died immediately, but others went through break-downs, chronic cases of insanity, and some even fell prey to stray Shadows that happened to break loose once in a while.

There was only one more diary to read, the sixth one, but Mitsuru had a feeling it would not end on a happy note.

"_Takeba-san was right_," Mitsuru read on the very first page of Journal six. "_He told us this project should never have been conceived… and he was right. Many of the scientists who tried to leave were escorted to the depths of the Abyss… and never returned. I am frightened for my son's safety, so I will stay on for as long as possible."_

Mitsuru skimmed the next few pages, which began to focus on what was going on within the circle instead of formulas and notes, and stopped on the tenth page, which said something interesting:

"_Head Scientist Takeba-san has called a secret meeting with other researchers in our group who could be trusted, including my husband and myself. What he told us was shocking: we would continue working on the project as if nothing had happened. According to him, since we have already started the project it was impossible to stop, but we still had a chance to delay the inevitable by creating an 'accident' within the lab once the project was finished."_

Mitsuru turned the page.

"_This news gave us absolute joy. To be sure, the project would still take years to finish, but any bit of hope was welcome, no matter how small. Later, I mustered up the courage to speak privately with Takeba-san, and I asked him why he was going to such lengths to stop the project. He smiled, and his eyes had this distant look in them as he said-_"

Mitsuru inhaled sharply as she read the next words to herself. She was currently alone on the first floor, with Yukari and Ken walking Koromaru in the mall, and Shinjiro's investigation team still down in the Abyss, so she reread the next line aloud, "_He smiled, and his eyes had this distant look in them as he said he was doing this for the sake of the beautiful world his little girl lived in."_

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Abyss of Time  
Cocytus

The moment they reached the floor Black Condor supposedly was, Junpei asked, "Now what?" to no one in particular.

Suddenly, Red Hawk pointed ahead. "Look over there!"

Just a few yards in front of them, a dark shape abruptly turned on its heels and ran to the right. Shinji, Akihiko, Junpei and Red Hawk immediately gave chase. They followed the dark shape around a corner… and found themselves standing right before the staircase leading down to the next floor.

"That was-!" Fuuka gasped.

"Was that Black Condor?" Akihiko demanded.

"…No, it wasn't," Fuuka answered. "I – I sensed something like this before…"

"It looked like a person," Junpei remarked with some surprise.

"It _had _to be Black Condor," said Akihiko. "I mean… Fuuka, you said so yourself, that Black Condor was here, didn't you? Who else could it be?"

"Well, Fuuka?" Shinji spoke. "Is Black Condor still on this floor?"

"N-no," Fuuka replied, still sounding shaken. "He's moved on at least two floors down."

"Great," Akihiko muttered sarcastically. He turned to the leader. "C'mon! If we hurry, we can still catch up!"

Shinji nodded. "Right. Let's move!"

The four teens jumped down…

…And landed right in front of a huge, grotesque Shadow.

"Oh holy shit," Junpei croaked, staring up at it. Everyone else barely moved, or _breathed_, as they also stared up at the Cyclops with wide eyes.

"Shadow confirmed!" Fuuka shouted, feeling the need to say it for the sake of saying it, even though it was quite obvious. "Oh, and over there! To your left!"

The team barely caught sight of the dark shape's retreating form as it jumped down yet another floor.

"Ah… it disappeared again," Fuuka mumbled more to herself than the group.

"How will we ever catch up now…?" Akihiko groaned.

Shinji poised his axe at the ready. "Guys, concentrate on the Shadow in front of us! We can continue looking for Condor later! Right now we need to survive!"

The Brilliant Cyclops let out a menacing hiss and lurched towards the group. The teens immediately scattered into their standard cross formation.

Shinji's eyes widened as he barely dodged a pillar of ice. He recognized it as the high-end ice attack, Bufudyne.

"Hawk, cover Aki! That bastard's got Bufu skills up its sleeve! Junpei, see if any of your attacks can knock him down! Fuuka! We need an analysis!" Shinji barked out.

Red Hawk immediately jumped in front of Akihiko right when the Cyclops launched another Bufudyne right at the boxer. "Ugh!" He groaned in pain, but he remained steady on his feet.

"Trismegistus!" Junpei shouted, pulling out his Evoker and shooting himself. His Persona floated overhead a bit before magnificently spreading his wings. Almost immediately, a burst of lava shot out from the floor and singed the Cyclops. It did considerable damage, but it was apparent that fire wasn't its weakness because it instantaneously regained its balance.

Nevertheless Shinji drew out his Evoker, too. "Orpheus!" the female harpist flew out at his command and quickly followed Trismegistus' Agilao attack with her own.

At that very moment, on the other side of the room, a certain silver-haired teen looked up and stared at Shinji with unreadable eyes for a brief second before turning his attention back to the battle.


	9. The River of Wailing, Part 2

A/N: I'm back everyone, and here's a new chapter! Sorry for the lateness – my computer just broke down. And please forgive any spelling mistakes you may find – I just got myself a brand new laptop three weeks ago, and I'm still not used to typing on one! I'm not really comfortable with using all these new gizmos, I guess….

I miss Aigis. That's why I'm working hard to bring her back from the dead! (She's dead?)

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Abyss of Time  
Cocytus

"Someone please help Shinjiro-sempai!" Fuuka gasped as Shinji got caught in one of the Soul Dancer's Agidyne attacks. The axe-wielder lost his footing from the scorching impact and fell unceremoniously on his behind. The teen cursed silently to himself as he switched out his current Persona for Queen Mab.

"Don't give up, Sensei." Somehow, Red Hawk was instantly by his side, rummaging through the item pack for some Medical Powder. Shinji didn't say anything, but he watched Hawk out of the corner of his eye (that was pretty hard, considering he usually relied on his beanie to hide his eyes) with suspicion. How did the superhero miraculously make it to his side every time he needed healing or whatnot, no matter how far away he was? The only reason that made sense to Shinji was that Red Hawk was staying true to his promise, of keeping him and the others safe.

But then, if that was the case, then why did it seem like Red Hawk valued Shinji's safety above all?

He accepted the Medical Powder from Hawk without comment and gulped it down, ignoring the bitter taste, and at the same time subconsciously admiring how fast and effective it was. One point for Aohige Pharmacy.

They were actually taking much longer to beat this Greater Shadow than planned, Shinji thought sourly as he got to his feet.

The battle went like this: Junpei, the group's main attacker, stopped using fire magic when he saw it barely did anything, so he switched tactics, Kill Rushing the Brilliant Cyclops like mad, knocking it down frequently and giving Shinji the chance to order All-Out-Attacks. At the same time, Akihiko backed him up with Cesar's flurry of Sonic Punches and useful Dia magic.

When Red Hawk wasn't healing his teammates with items or shielding Akihiko from the Shadow's annoying Bufudyne, he was pounding away at the Cyclops with his Persona Testament's Fatal End move. With Yukari currently not present, Shinji had given himself the role of healer. Queen Mab, the Persona he fused in the Velvet Room, was resistant to both fire and ice and had the super-important Media spell to use when the Shadow resorted to dirty tactics and spammed his Mabufula spell on them.

Thanks to the team's relentless assaults and Shinji's quick and precise commands, it had already gotten to the point where the Cyclops' steel azure plating was cracked and falling apart bit by bit, revealing black flesh beneath.

Everything was going great, and the Cyclops was almost too easy for Shinji.

…Until it decided to summon that stupid Soul Dancer.

"Junpei-kun! Watch out!" Fuuka shrieked, but her warning came too late.

"Gah!" Junpei yelped as the said Dancer smacked him soundly across the face with the hilt of its rapier.

The other Soul Dancer (yeah, there's TWO of them, actually) performed some kind of Tango variation, which ended up healing the Cyclops.

"Fuuka! The Soul Dancers' analysis!" Shinji shouted.

"I-I'm trying!" Fuuka cried. "But Juno hasn't pulled any information out yet!"

Although Yamagishi could accurately pinpoint random Shadow weaknesses _and _their attack patterns with ease, she failed miserably at gaining such information from the Greater Shadows, aside from their Arcana. It was one of the things that frustrated Shinji – they were often forced to waste time and energy just to get a grip on the Greater Shadows' moves.

"Shinjiro-sempai!" Fuuka called out after a heartbeat. "Both Soul Dancers are of the Lovers Arcana!"

_Shadows of the Lovers Arcana were usually weak against lightning or ice_, Shinji thought to himself. Aki's _Zio attacks didn't do much of anything, so that just leaves ice_. Shinji almost smacked his forehead from the irony: he was currently the only Persona user in the entire active investigation group who had access to ice, but he couldn't use it because his teammates were heavily relying on his Media spell, especially Akihiko.

_The longer this drags on, the worse the situation gets, _argued Shinji's inner voice of wisdom. _Might as well get on with it while it isn't too late._

"Aki, concentrate on defense for now! Junpei, you do the same!" Shinji barked as he whipped out his Evoker. "I'm gonna freeze the Dancers! Once they're down, get ready to knock the Cyclops flat!" Both teens stared at their leader with surprise; nevertheless they did as they were told.

As Junpei and Akihiko got themselves ready, Red Hawk ran up to Shinji. "What do I do?"

Shinjiro positioned the Evoker on his temple. "Cover me. If the Cyclops somehow manages to stay standing, I'm gonna need you to use that Bead Chain I got from the antique store."

"Roger that."

"Queen Mab!" Shinji pulled the trigger. The Persona immediately rose up and flicked its arm at one of the Soul Dancers. A large stalagmite of ice erupted from the floor, encasing the Shadow within. It exploded with a crash, and the Dancer, dazed, slumped to the ground.

"Yes!" Fuuka cheered. "The Shadow is down!"

"Keep going!" Akihiko called from the other side of the room.

"My pleasure." Shinji summoned Queen Mab again for another Bufula.

The second Dancer seemed to comprehend his intentions and moved to make a break for it.

"Oh no you don't!" Akihiko saw this and ran right up to the Shadow, grabbing it from behind to keep it from running. Shinji hesitated. "You idiot! You know you're weak against ice!"

Akihiko was adamant, however. "Just hurry up and attack, Shinji!" The Soul Dancer screeched and struggled to free itself, but the boxer held on tight.

Shinji grimaced but followed through with his attack. With a huge _smash_, the ice exploded, sending both Shadow and boxer flying.

Junpei took this chance to summon Trismegistus for a Kill Rush. The Persona zipped right at the Cyclops and effectively knocked it off balance.

Akihiko was still down, but Shinji decided that between him, Junpei and Red Hawk, they had enough physical might to finish the battle in one swoop.

"All-Out-Attack!"

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Paulownia Mall(?)

"Yukari-san?" Ken asked suddenly.

The girl looked at him. "Yeah?"

The pair was sitting on one of the benches of Paulownia Mall, while Koromaru rested from their walk.

Ken looked down at his shoes. "You were one of the earliest SEES members, right?"

"Uhh, not really… I was only on for about a year. The first members were our sempai. Why do you ask?"

"I…" Ken's face scrunched up as he tried to find the right words. "I'm confused," he said eventually.

"Confused about what?"

"I'm confused about Shinjiro-sempai's… circumstances. And about his potential. I just couldn't help but wonder… can Personas really simply vanish, just like the way Castor did? I mean, I think it's weird that someone with the natural ability to summon a Persona would just lose that ability." As he said this, he kept looking down, this time at his hands.

Yukari shook her head. "Mitsuru-sempai told me once that the potential varies from person to person, and that there was no real way of measuring it. If you want an example… just look at the Kirijo Group's scientists: they tried to harness and control potential so they could transform a bunch of street kids into fighting machines. Heck, they made battle dolls like Aigis. Look at all the mistakes they made."

"I… guess you have a point." Ken still seemed a little doubtful, though. Yukari gently nudged him with her elbow. "Is there something else bothering you?"

"Well… maybe it's just me, but I sort of assumed that once you summon your Persona naturally for the first time, you become its "master", and with each summon it becomes easier to control."

Ken glanced up at Yukari. "So why was it so difficult for Shinji to control Castor, no matter how many times he used him? Why did he resort to using those drugs Strega gave him?"

Yukari abruptly turned away. "I don't know," she replied flatly. With a huff, she stood up from the bench and stretched. Koromaru immediately lumbered to his feet and raced for the exit. "C'mon, Ken-kun, let's go back. Mitsuru-sempai probably has some news about how Shinjiro-sempai and the others are doing."

Without waiting for a reply, she walked off. Ken trailed after her. He had a feeling she wanted to avoid talking about Shinji for some reason, so he decided not to bring it up again unless absolutely necessary.

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Abyss of Time  
Cocytus

"Good job," a voice mocked them from somewhere near the stairs.

Shinji, Junpei and Red Hawk whirled around to face the source of the voice.

Black Condor was casually leaning against a pillar. It was like he had been watching the fight the entire time. "You people have more skill than I originally thought…." "Damn straight," Junpei growled. He stepped forward, Evoker already in hand. Condor didn't seem to mind, though.

"So, tell me – what compelled you to descend into the Abyss?"

"Why should we explain anything to a piece of shit like you?" Shinji retorted.

"Because you're trespassing into my territory," Condor replied simply. "You have no right to be here."

Shinji wasn't pleased. "And why should we listen to anything you say?"

"…Didn't it occur to you that I could easily wipe out pesky insects like you _right now _if I wanted to?"

"What did you say?" Junpei made to attack, but Shinji grabbed his jacket to stop him. "Gwah! Sempai?"

Shinji glared at Black Condor. It frustrated him, but Black Condor was right. At the moment, the members of SEES did not have the strength to face him.

Suddenly, as if the entire exchange was exhausting him, Condor sighed loudly. He reached into a hidden pocket on his Featherman costume and pulled out something small.

"Shinjiro Aragaki… take this and go."

He carelessly tossed the item at the beanie wearing teen. Shinji caught it easily with his free hand. It was a tiny velvet bag with something inside. He emptied it out into his palm. "…A key?"

"It belongs to your friend, Aigis," Red Hawk explained, sounding confused and surprised at the same time. Without Shinjiro knowing, he had approached his side to get a good look at it. "Feather Condor… why did you give this to us?"

"That's what you came for, isn't it?" Black Condor pointed out. "With that, you can save her."

"But, _why_?" Hawk insisted.

Black Condor ignored the other Featherman and turned his attention back to Shinji. "I also have some advice for you, Shinjiro Aragaki. If you want to keep your friends alive for as long as possible… call off the investigation of the Abyss before it's too late. This will be my only warning to you. Continue to the bottom of Cocytus if necessary… but after that…."

Black Condor didn't finish the sentence. He pushed himself off from the pillar and turned away from the group.

"Hey, wait!" Junpei called out after him, but Condor ignored his yell and hopped down the hole leading to the lower floor.

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Abyss of Time  
Cocytus, Lowest Floor

"This is the second Door," Ken said to no one in particular. "We still have a long way to go, I guess."

"This place doesn't look any different from where the first Door was," Akihiko (now recovered from earlier) commented. "How can we be sure it isn't just the same one as before? Is it going to connect to another place in the past?"

"There's only one way to find out." Mitsuru nodded at Shinji. "Shinjiro, if you please."

Shinji strode towards the Door, placed his hand on it and pushed. It slowly creaked open….

* * *

Date Unknown  
Evening  
Somewhere in Iwatodai

"_Fire! Fire!" A woman's voice screams._

_A two-story building is completely engulfed in roaring flames. A group of children are huddled together outside in the street, crying loudly, wearing nothing but their pajamas. Two adults, a middle aged man and a young woman, are trying to calm the children down._

_The two-story building is history now; Firefighters are working hard to keep the fire from spreading instead, spraying powerful jets of water from their hoses._

"_Fire! Fire!" The random woman in the background continues to scream. A huge crowd of onlookers have already gathered to watch the debacle._

"_Where's Miki?" One of the children demands. He is a tall kid with brown hair. _

"_Where's my sister?" Another child chimes in. His face was a little blackish from the soot, his hair silver, his eyes dry and determined. "I need to get my sister! She's still in there!"_

"_No, don't do it!" The young woman argues. "It's too late! If you try to go in now, you'll never make it back out!"_

"_I'm going to get my sister! She's waiting for me in there! I have to save her!" The boys try to run into the burning building, but the middle-aged man grabs them by the shirt collars, stopping them. "Oh no you don't!"_

"_Let us go!" The tall boy demands. "I need to save her! Let me go!"_

_Suddenly, with surprising strength, wrenches out of the man's grasp and makes a mad dash towards the building._

"_No! Don't!" The middle aged man shouts desperately. The silver haired boy takes this chance to wriggle free from the older man's grasp and follows the first boy into the burning building._

"_Miki!" The boys shout._

_Inside the burning building, the boys spot a tiny girl in a white nightgown on the floor, surrounded by tongues of flame. The tall boy leads the way to her; almost as if by magic, falling chunks of cement and wood never reached the boys, and the sea of fire seemed to part, offering them a path to the girl._

_But by the time they reach her side, it is too late. Sharp shards of glass and wood have pierced through her body; she is gone. The silver haired boy wails in despair._

_The tall boy roughly shakes his shoulder as if to snap him out of it. The two help each other carry the young girl's body outside, once again the tall boy in the lead. _

_Once outside, the silver haired boy weeps loudly, holding the little girl tightly. "Nooo!"_

_The tall boy watches on helplessly. "I couldn't do anything this time, either," he whispered in despair. "I couldn't do anything this time, either…."_

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Abyss of Time  
Cocytus, Lowest Floor

With a flash of light, the SEES members found themselves back where they started: the lowest floor of Cocytus, with one difference – the Door they opened earlier was no longer there.

Nobody moved for a few seconds. They were still trying to make sense of what they just saw.

"What… the hell…."

Everyone turned to look at Shinji, who was trembling with anger.

He spun around, walked right up to Red Hawk and punched him.


	10. Rise From the Ashes

March 31. 2010  
Abyss of Time  
Cocytus, Lowest Floor

"Shinjiro-sempai! Red Hawk!" Fuuka's shrill cry echoed throughout the entire floor.

Shinji had punched Red Hawk so hard that the Featherman landed on the floor on his back like a rag doll. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he heard his teammates talking to him out of concern, but the blood in his head was pounding so hard he couldn't understand a single word; it was like an iron ball was rolling around in there.

In hindsight, Red Hawk had nothing to do with the vision they saw, a voice inside Shinji reasoned, but his brain refused to comprehend. Both he and Akihiko was forced to relive one of the most painful moments of their lives inside the Abyss of Time – memories that were buried so deeply were dragged back out in the open as if to mock them for their failures in front of everyone else.

Seeing himself fail to save Miki once again released something inside him. Frustration and regret swamped him; he needed to get it out of his system before he drowned. Shinjiro needed to _hurt _somebody.

And then… poor Red Hawk was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

In his peripheral vision, he saw Akihiko's tense stance and fearsome scowl– it looked as if he had been on his way to punish Hawk by his own hand and stopped himself only because Shinji did it already.

As Red Hawk gingerly picked himself off the floor, Shinjiro and Akihiko towered over him menacingly with balled fists. Junpei and the other SEES members immediately backed off and stared apprehension.

"Mind telling us what _that _was about?" Akihiko glowered.

"I- I don't know," Red Hawk stammered helplessly. "T-this is the first time something like this has h-happened for me, as well… I don't know why the D-door we opened this time vanished… and, I-I guess that events not involving everyone can only be watched." The poor guy was trying to stand tall, but he was visibly shaking like a leaf before everyone's eyes.

"That's not what I meant! What we just saw was MY past! I want to know WHY we saw that!"

It was Shinjiro's past as well, but the remaining SEES members held their tongues – now wasn't the time to go about correcting people.

Red Hawk shook his head. "I-I really don't know," he said again, his voice cracking a bit on the word "know".

Akihiko exhaled loudly and turned away as if he couldn't stand to look at the Featherman any longer. "You better not be hiding anything," he muttered.

Shinji took a deep breath and closed his eyes until the pounding in his head went away. Once he was sure he wouldn't… accidentally throttle him, Shinji opened his eyes and asked mildly, "You really have no idea? No idea at all?" Being the one who decked Red Hawk just moments before, now he was beginning to regret it. Red Hawk was obviously trying his best to help them with the investigation – he didn't deserve to be punched like that. He deserved a break.

"…W-well, this is only a theory," Red Hawk began hesitantly upon hearing Shinjiro's somewhat calm tone. "I think the Doors in the Abyss reflect the minds of those who enter. That's all I can think of to explain how we found a supply route earlier. You guys want to erase the Abyss of Time, and escape as soon as possible, right? So if you apply my theory…."

"…There doesn't seem to be any connection between our situation and the vision we just saw, but we actually saw it for a reason?" Shinji said aloud. "Is that what you're trying to say?" Hawk nodded. "Exactly that."

For the next few minutes, everybody just stood around, thinking. Nobody had the guts to voice the single, lingering question regarding the vision….

Nobody except Red Hawk, that is. "Sensei, the tall kid we saw… that was you, wasn't it?" To Shinji's grim amusement, Hawk acted as if he wasn't smacked across his face just moments before. He nodded stiffly. "Yeah. And the other one was Aki."

"Shinji! We don't need to tell him anything!" Akihiko protested.

"No, we do," Shinji disagreed. "And not just Hawk… we owe everybody an explanation if we want to figure out how to escape this nightmare."

"Shinjiro-sempai…" Yukari mumbled.

Mitsuru stepped forward. "That was when the orphanage you two lived in burned down, if I'm not mistaken." She began to wring her hands nervously.

"…Right. That was back in 1999," Shinjiro allowed. "Up until this day, the reason why the fire started in the first place was never fully explained…." He trailed off and noticed Mitsuru's restlessness. "Mitsuru? What's wrong?"

No sooner had the words escaped his mouth that the implications behind the Kirijo heiress' fidgeting became apparent. "Mitsuru, you-?"

Akihiko beat him to it. "Do you know something?"

Mitsuru sighed in despair. "By then the scientists of Kirijo's Ergo Division had already begun the search for children who could withstand artificial potential… Akihiko, your sister Miki, as well as a few others living in the orphanage at the time, fit their criteria perfectly. The caretakers of the orphanage refused to cooperate, so the Group staged that fire in order to take them. But the fire they caused was bigger than intended, so instead they abandoned the plan and the children altogether, and used money to erase any connection they had to the incident."

"No… those bastards…." Junpei gasped without thinking. Everyone looked stricken with disgust and horror. Mitsuru, who usually stood tall no matter the situation, looked down, ashamed of her connection to the Kirijo.

"Miki was only four years old," Akihiko said quietly. "To this day, I still remember how tiny her hands were compared to mine, how she would laugh at the simplest of things… how she would look up at me and call me 'big brother'…. When I lost her, I kept blaming myself for how powerless I was…."

"She was like the little sister I never had. I'm an only child, and I never wanted any siblings, but she was different. All these years I wondered what could've been if only I didn't leave her behind… if only I had gotten to her sooner," Shinji admitted.

"…I apologize for the atrocious actions my family made that night," Mitsuru told them stiffly, her head still bowed. _A life bound to their cursed legacy_.

Shinjiro surprised them all by shaking his head, saying, "I knew it. I knew the Kirijo Group had something to do with it."

Mitsuru's head jerked back up. She stared at him as if he were a psychic who had just divined her deepest darkest secrets. "How could you have known? No one outside the Group was privy to that information."

"It doesn't matter how I found out. All that matters is that I knew what I knew, and that I couldn't trust you until I learned all the details," Shinjiro stated matter-of-factly. "Back in junior high, you somehow managed to get Akihiko to join you in the fight against Shadows. I couldn't let what happened to Miki happen to Aki, too…."

"…You felt responsible, so you volunteered to join as well, despite how unstable your potential was," Mitsuru said in sudden understanding.

Akihiko shook his head in amazement. "Now that I think about it, you joined SEES right after I did, right after I told you about it. The day I moved into the dorm was the day you practically barged in, refusing to leave. I knew you wouldn't join to keep an eye out for me, or any petty reason like that – I knew there was a real reason."

"That _was _the real reason," Shinji said calmly. "One of them, anyway. Another reason was to keep an eye on Princess here. I wanted to confront her regarding that night with the information I had, but I didn't have enough proof to back it up so I kept my mouth shut." Shinji scratched the back of his head in an uncharacteristic display of shyness before facing Mitsuru and practically spitting out his next words, "Later it got difficult, 'cuz I… got to know you, and respected you as a teammate and a school mate, so even when I finally found the proof I needed, I couldn't hold it against you."

"I… had no idea you were plotting such things," Mitsuru stated, bewildered. And then she smiled warmly. "And thank you for saying so. For the past four years I wondered if I could ever be on good terms with you – no matter what I did, you gave me the cold shoulder."

"I still don't see how our past is related to any of this," Akihiko growled, a bit of his fury from earlier returning.

"Actually, I've been wondering about that for a while now," Ken suddenly said aloud. Everyone looked at him.

Ken blushed. He looked uncomfortable with the sudden amount of attention he was receiving from his friends, and very embarrassed for interrupting the heart-to-heart talk his sempai were having, but managed he to continue, "Things weren't perfect, but it seemed more straightforward and… pure back then, when I was fighting. We don't get that kind of passion by just going to school everyday. Sanada-san, you've dedicated yourself to boxing again recently, right? Isn't that because… you don't want to lose the feeling you used to have?"

Silence.

"Hawk-san may be right… we saw that vision for a reason. Of course, that could just be my own way of seeing it."

"…"Akihiko looked like he was about to say something, but Yukari suddenly broke in, irritated. "Let's not talk like that. There's no use bringing up the past…. Don't you remember our entire reason for risking everything? If we don't keep our eyes forward, it was all a waste of time!"

Mitsuru glanced at the junior. "Yukari…."

"…Let's go." Without another word, she stalked off towards the Access Point. The rest of the team followed after her, albeit with some misgivings… and unanswered questions.

For what reason did the vision of Shinjiro's and Akihiko's past suddenly appear?

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Dorm, Aigis' Room

Shortly after returning to the dorm, Shinjiro had taken the Key he received from Black Condor up to Aigis' room. He didn't know how it was supposed to "save her" like what Condor assured him… he honestly didn't know what came over him when he picked up Aigis' cold, steel hand and placed the Key in the palm, closing the fingers over it. Would it work? He didn't know. At the time the motion was as natural to him as blinking.

Almost immediately, the Key began to glow brightly from inside her closed fist. It shimmered for a second or two, and then faded.

In the next moment, Shinji found himself staring right into a pair of blue eyes.

"Shinjiro…san?" Aigis mumbled sleepily.

Fuuka, who had accompanied him into Aigis' room, let out an ecstatic cry of joy and immediately ran outside, calling the others who were waiting downstairs.

"What's going on? What are you doing in my room?" Aigis questioned Shinji curiously. She slowly, steadily levered herself off her "bed" and onto the floor.

"Aigis, in a few more seconds everyone else is going to barge in here to welcome you back. Before that happens, though, I'd like to ask you something important."

"Yes?"

"Do you still remember what happened before you got knocked out?"

Almost like a normal human being, the combat android's face darkened. "I remember very well. I faced an adversary more powerful than I. It had been a long time since I had faced such formidable strength."

"I want to know if he used a Persona," Shinji told her, thinking back to the time he fought with the dark Featherman, and how Fuuka tried to pinpoint Condor's source of strength and failed.

"A… Persona?" Aigis repeated quizzically, confused. "I… am not sure. At the time, I never took notice."

Before Shinji could reply to that, the bedroom door swung wide open and the other SEES members rushed inside with hopeful expressions on their faces. When they saw Aigis sitting up and staring at them with a tired yet reassuring smile, their hope gave way to pure joy and relief.

Shinjiro stepped back to give his friends room to stand around Aigis' bed, and watched them form a tight circle around the robot, smiling at their show of unabashed happiness.

The group still had a lot of things to accomplish, and they were pressed for time, but the teen didn't have the heart to bring it up just yet. Those things could wait, was what he decided. Right now, the most important thing was a dear comrade and friend was back.

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Dorm Lounge

Mitsuru neatly stacked the files in order of importance, made sure each one was accounted for, and separated this from a pile of rejects before straightening. "All right, I think I'm done searching for clues. Yamagishi?"

"Yes, sempai?" the younger girl piped up.

"I'm assigning you to pick up the search from here. From this point on, I'll be joining the main investigation as well." Turning to Shinji, she added, "If you need my help, don't hesitate to call me."

* * *

**FREE TIME**

(Once you regain control of Shinji, you immediately approach Aigis, who is sitting at the counter with a thoughtful expression.)

Aigis: Mitsuru-san and Fuuka-san have already given me the details regarding our current predicament. However, it will be some time before I completely recover, so I will not take part in the investigation for now. Shinjiro-san, if I may ask, how did you acquire "her" special power? I'm curious.

* * *

There was this room in my dream...  
**Out of necessity, maybe?**  
I was at the wrong place at the wrong time.  
No idea.

* * *

Aigis: Is that so? I hope you'll be alright after everything is over... having the ability to use multiple Personas must be very taxing on the human body. Also... Shinjiro-san, you... had already lost your potential. Please be careful.

(Next to her on the floor sits the ever lovable dog, Koromaru. His ears are perked up.)

Koromaru: Arf! Arf!

He seems to be staring right at Red Hawk.

...

...It looks like Koromaru wants to tell you something about Red Hawk.

Aigis: Koromaru says, "Red Hawk smells very familiar. At the same time, he smells so foreign, it's frightening."

...

What could that possibly mean?

* * *

Check status/equipment  
Add to party  
**Nothing**

* * *

Koromaru: Arf!

(You walk over to the Featherman, who stands by himself near the Door leading to Paulownia Mall.)

Red Hawk: ...Sensei...Aragaki-san...I'm sorry I couldn't be more useful to you and the others. I offered my help, and yet...

* * *

Don't be so hard on yourself.  
**I need to apologize, too.**

* * *

Red Hawk: Please, don't - I more or less deserved to be punched like that. Sensei, if there's anything I can do... if you still have any questions that need to be answered...

* * *

**Why did we see that vision of the past?**  
Who else is in the Abyss besides Black Condor?  
Nothing.

* * *

Red Hawk: There was a reason why we saw your past, Sensei, and whatever that reason is, it's linked to why you're trapped in the Abyss of Time. Other than that, I... don't know what else to say, aside from the obvious. I'm sorry.

* * *

Why did we see that vision of the past?  
**Who else is in the Abyss besides Black Condor?  
**Nothing.

* * *

Red Hawk: Huh...? What are you talking about? Only Feather Condor and the Shadows dwell within the Abyss of Time... I'm sure of it.

* * *

Why did we see that vision of the past?  
Who else is in the Abyss besides Black Condor?  
**Nothing.**

* * *

Red Hawk: ...Then, if there's anything else you need to know, I'll do everything in my power to answer them.

* * *

Check status/equipment  
**Add to party  
**Nothing

* * *

Red Hawk: ...I'm ready.

(Junpei looks like he's trying to get your attention. You decide to give it to him.)

Junpei: Hey, Shinjiro-sempai. Yuka-tan looks pretty gloomy, don'tcha think?

* * *

**I noticed.  
**I never noticed.

* * *

Junpei: I knew it! Who knows what goes on in a chick's mind... especially Yuka-tan's.

* * *

Check status/equipment  
Add to party  
**Nothing**

* * *

Junpei: Careful down there, sempai.

(Instead of relying solely on hearsay, you decide to speak directly to the source.)

Yukari: To be honest, I don't think I like the idea of peeking into people's personal lives like that. What was in the past stays in the past. Let's hurry, sempai. We haven't even opened half the Doors in the Desert yet. If we don't go through all of them, we'll never get this over with.

* * *

Check status/equipment  
Add to party  
**Nothing**

* * *

Yukari: ...Okay.

(In contrast to your other teammates, Mitsuru looks about as fresh as a daisy.)

Mitsuru: I'm sorry to be gone from the group for so long. I'll be participating actively in the investigation now. If you need a reminder, my strong points are ice attacks and healing skills. Use them as you see fit. Leave anything that's weak to ice to me. I'll freeze their assets...

* * *

Check status/equipment  
**Add to party  
**Nothing

* * *

Mitsuru: Very well.

(Ken anxiously stands next to Fuuka, near the entrance to the Desert of Doors).

Ken: Shinjiro-sempai, please don't be angry at Red Hawk! I'm not saying this because I'm... a fan, but because he seemed sincere when he said he didn't know why Door showed us that vision...!

* * *

**I'm not angry anymore.  
**I don't care.

* * *

Ken: Ah, thank goodness... So that means he's still with us in this investigation, right? I'm sorry for speaking out of turn like that.

* * *

Check status/equipment  
**Add to party  
**Nothing

* * *

Ken: Yes! I'll do my best!

(Fuuka poses a very important question...)

Fuuka: Shinjiro-sempai, despite everything that's happened, can we still trust Red Hawk?

* * *

**Yes, we can.  
**No, we can't.

* * *

Fuuka:...Akihiko-sempai doesn't think so. He thinks that Red Hawk is in league with Black Condor, and that he's leading us into a trap. What he's saying is within the realm of possibility. Nevertheless, I... agree with you, sempai. There is something about Hawk that makes me trust him. Plus, I don't think Condor is all that bad, either - I mean, he gave back Aigis' Key, and warned us to stop the investigation if we wanted to survive... If it weren't for our opposing interests, we probably could've been allies.

(Lastly, you approach Akihiko, who is struggling to come to terms with seeing your shared past all over again.)

Akihiko: If it weren't for our leader, I would never haved moved on... I would've just pretended that I did. But "moving on" doesn't mean the pain goes away... it just makes the pain bearable. I realized that after seeing Miki die in front of me all over again. But... what does our past have to do with us being trapped here in the dorm?

* * *

Because we're childhood friends?  
**Because we're connected to the Kirijo Group?**  
Because of the fire?  
Because your sister had potential?

* * *

Akihiko: ...Huh? That doesn't make sense. We only got involved with the Kirijo Group in our last year of middle school. I guess you could say I'm connected because of my sister, but that doesn't explain how you... Wait a minute... are you saying that you were involved with the Group in some way already?

TO BE CONTINUED


	11. Memories

A/N: It's been over a month…

Gaming tip! For new players of P3 FES: The Answer, have either Metis or Mitsuru (or both) in your party when you fight the bosses on Floor 07, Caina. The battle will be a walk in the park if you do. Watch out for the Harem Dancer and the Merciless Mayas boss fight on floor 14, though. It's a toughie if you don't make the right preparations.

* * *

GLOSSARY:

**Persona: **Is physical embodiment of the strength of a person's heart and the power to summon it to your aid. Our heroes use Personas to kick some Shadow ass.

**Shadows:** Strange creatures that prey on people's minds. Tartarus was infested with them, and none have been sighted since it was destroyed. Now they're back and stronger than before.

**The Dark Hour:** An unnatural phenomenon caused by an experiment the Kirijo Group carried out years before. Every night, an extra hour would occur between 12:00 and 12:01. Only people with a certain amount of awareness could experience it, while other humans would transform into coffin shaped-objects, through a process called Transmogrification.

**Tartarus: **A frightful tower that appeared exclusively during the Dark Hour, AKA the Tower of Demise, it existed to bring the being known as Nyx into the world. Tartarus suppossedly vanished along with the Dark Hour when Nyx was defeated….

**SEES:** Acronym for "Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad". A school club that was formed to fight Shadows.

**Nyx:** Essentially, "the embodiment of Death". Nyx's sole purpose was to bring about The Fall, which would mean the extinction of all living things… but the disaster was prevented by the Main Character.

"**Her": **The leader of SEES. She fell into a deep coma shortly after the events of the P3P Female storyline. Currently, she is trapped in her room (still in a comatose state) and the other members of SEES are trying to find a way to get to her.

**Suppressants: **Powerful drugs administered to help one control his or her Persona. Shinjiro was taking these pills at one point, and at the cost of his life….

**Phoenix Ranger Featherman R: **A popular TV program that airs twice every Sunday.

**Logbook #3, page 66: **One of the important documents Mitsuru found. It details the initial investigation of the Abyss of Time. It implies that the Abyss may have come into being around the same time Tartarus was formed.

**Logbook #5, page 133: **One of the important documents Mitsuru found. It mentions that around the time the logbook entry was written, there were no Shadows within the Abyss.

**Scientist's Diary: **A diary Mitsuru found. It was written by "Mrs. Amida Katsuragi". This scientist admits in her diary that she and her husband were working with Eiichiro Takeba and other scientists to create the "accident" that would halt the experiment. The diary mentions a son.

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Dorm Lounge

"_It was a long time ago – I was only maybe four years old. Before I stayed at the orphanage, I sort of remember living in a huge house with my parents," Shinjiro began in a flat voice, as if he was just recounting some bits of boring history._

"_Wait, you had parents?" Junpei interrupted._

_Shinji gave him a sarcastic look that said "no shit, Sherlock" before continuing. "They were almost always working late. It slowly got to the point where it would be days - even weeks - before they finally came back home." He lifted his hands and stared hard at them, as if they held the secret to unlocking his past. "They were both researchers working for the Kirijo Group," he said wonderingly, as if he himself had a hard time believing it._

* * *

Mitsuru shook her head. She still couldn't believe Shinjiro had been concealing such information from… well, everyone. He'd hidden his past so well the Kirijo Group's connections couldn't even find a trace of it. It seemed that there were still many things she did not know about her old teammate, and things that she didn't know bothered her. She studied him from out of the corner of her eye – he and Red Hawk were discussing some strategies for the upcoming Caina Door with Fuuka – and frowned. It had been at least 5, 6 hours since he'd made that startling announcement. He didn't look affected in the least.

So unlike Mitsuru herself, who was still in total shock.

There was another thing that struck the redhead as strange: He didn't mention how they died. Didn't his parents mean _anything _to him at all?

* * *

_When fifteen seconds passed after his admission and nobody reacted, Shinji scratched the side of his face. "…Hey, what's wrong? Give me a reaction… like surprise or something."_

_Instead of surprise, Junpei quipped with grim seriousness, "Man, just look at how each one of us is directly and indirectly connected to everything about the Dark Hour. There's so many coincidences that it's not funny anymore."_

"_Hey Junpei – you may be on to something," Yukari said suddenly, looking very alert. "Maybe we can figure out how we got trapped in here in the first place if we find what connects us to each other. You know, find out what we have in common and -!" Yukari snapped her fingers. "- we discover the cause. Didn't Black Condor say that the main reason time has stopped was because of… her?"_

"_She had nothing to do with this!" Akihiko immediately objected._

_Yukari threw her hands up. "Then I'm out of ideas."_

_Mitsuru placed a supportive hand on the younger girl's shoulder and squeezed reassuringly. "There's no point in senseless conjecture," she told the others. "We've just barely begun the investigation. For now, all we can do is keep on, and open all the Doors we come across… and to protect her from Condor until we figure out how to get her out of her room and escape."_

_Red Hawk chose this moment to remind everyone about Black Condor's current quest for the Keys of Time. "The Keys grant their wielder's deepest wish. If we collect them, we can thwart his plans to kill your friend.'_

"…_Wow, I completely forgot about the Keys," Ken admitted aloud. From the expressions on the others' faces, it was obvious that they had forgotten as well._

"…_And this just my opinion." Hawk turned to Shinji and continued, "Sensei, I think that once you've gotten all of them, if you wish hard enough, you can use those Keys to escape the dorm."_

"_That's… actually not a bad idea," Shinji said after a bit of thought._

"_So it's decided then," Mitsuru said, catching everyone's attention. "We were unable to meet our original objective – to find a way to unlock the door to her room. Instead, we've accomplished everything else – we've restored electricity to the dorm, found a steady supply route and most importantly, helped Aigis recover from her coma. Starting now, we continue our investigation with a new objective: collecting all the Keys of Time."_

"_Aigis has her Key. Here's the second one," Akihiko said slyly, holding up something in his gloved hand. It shimmered prettily in the light._

"_A Key!" Fuuka gasped. "But when? How?"_

"_Right when we got back to the dorm, it was already in my hand," Akihiko explained. He flicked it towards Shinji, who caught it with ease. "I honestly didn't know how to bring it up, so I just kept it to myself. Take good care of it, Shinji."_

_Shinjiro caught the Key and looked at it. Other than its strange design and the significance behind it, it didn't look all that impressive to him. Neither did Aigis' Key. In fact, the Velvet Key he got from Igor seemed way better. …Perhaps it was that way because not all of the Keys were brought together yet?_

* * *

Abruptly, Mitsuru heard something strange. It was muffled, and came in short bursts. She narrowed her eyes in concentration. To her, it sounded like someone was… coughing. Was it Shinjiro…? Was he perhaps, taking the suppressants again? No, he was still talking to Fuuka like normal. Next to him, however, Red Hawk had his head bowed away from the others….

Mitsuru wasn't one to mince words when a team member's health was involved. "Red Hawk-san, are you feeling ill?" She questioned mildly, approaching the trio. Shinji and Fuuka immediately halted their conversation. "Hawk-san, are you alright?" Fuuka asked worriedly.

Red Hawk couldn't answer them. His cough was too terrible. Shinji narrowed his eyes in speculation while Fuuka reached out her hand towards the Featherman, intent on guiding him to a chair.

To their horror, Red Hawk crumpled into a heap on the floor.

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Velvet Room  
Some time after completing Cocytus

"Welcome to the Velvet Room," Theodore greeted the gruff teen pleasantly. "What can I do for you?"

Shinji sat down on the chair and started when he saw that the little old man with the long nose wasn't sitting opposite of him playing card tricks as usual. He glanced around, but didn't see any sign of him.

"Master Igor has gone to answer the Telephone," Theodore explained.

What telephone? Shinji nearly asked, but bit his tongue. He got to his feet and said instead, "I'll just come back later, then." The truth was he wanted to get some better Personas before entering Caina, but he decided he could wait until he was certain of what they were up against. The last thing he needed was an explanation of the otherworldly. The existence of the Velvet Room he could handle, but he still couldn't wrap his head around the fact that no one else could see the entrance.

Theodore cleared his throat. "You look unsure, Shinjiro-san. If there's anything you wish to share… I will listen. After all – you are an important Guest."

The teen didn't even look up; he gave a noncommitical grunt before ambling out.

Theodore sighed, perplexed. This new guest was the exact opposite of the honest, cheerful and bubbly girl from before. If he had such a hard time opening up to others, how was he going to unlock the true power of the Wild Card? On the other hand, Shinji was never the Fool to begin with. He was the Hierophant.

Now, more than ever, Theodore was curious to know the reason behind the teen's awakening.

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Paulownia Mall(?)

While they helped Shinjiro shop for groceries in other stores, Yukari and Fuuka gossiped about Red Hawk.

"You know, I just don't get him," Yukari sighed. "When it comes to Abyss of Time related problems, he's a deadly serious fighter. He's cunning and fearless. But he does the dumbest things sometimes… so dumb that it's like his coolness was all a lie. Did you know what he did earlier, Fuuka? The cape of his costume got caught on a nail when he tried to walk into the bathroom, and he thought there was some evil force holding him back." Chuckling, she added, "I wish I could've seen the look on his face when Shinjiro-sempai unhooked his cape."

"Yukari-chan, I don't think we've ever seen Red Hawk without his mask," Fuuka reminded her friend. "Does he ever take it off?"

Yukari shrugged. "As if I'd know what goes through that guy's head to begin with."

"Speaking of Red Hawk… I hope he's feeling alright," Fuuka said softly. "Earlier, he began coughing, and fainted. He's awake now, but the cough is slowly getting worse. It's strange… he seemed perfectly healthy when we first encountered him…."

"Maybe he's getting sick?" Yukari offered. "He's been on every single labyrinth foray so far – maybe he just needs a break. Or some cough medicine."

"I hope you're right," Fuuka said. "I'm starting to like him as a teammate. He always makes sure everyone is well protected."

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Caina

Mitsuru proved herself as an extremely dependable ally in depths of Caina, physically knocking down Shadow after Shadow with her graceful feather-like moves. She humiliated the El Dorado beasts again and again by knocking them off balance with her Bufu skills – without its meat shields, the Death Castle they were fighting didn't even stand a chance.

On the other hand, Red Hawk seemed to be slowing down. His punches were losing strength, and most of the time he couldn't avoid the Shadow's assaults in time, resulting in critical hits. Fuuka immediately warned Shinjiro and the others about Hawk's failing condition, but Red hawk refused to return when they've come so far.

"I sense a formidable presence below… Oh! I'm sensing the figure again! Over there!"

Quick as a flash, a dark shape hurtled away from the team and jumped down the hole leading to the lower floor.

"That definitely wasn't Black Condor. I wonder if it's a Shadow… I wish I could tell for sure."

"What exactly aren't you sure of?" Shinji asked her. "It's just that… this feeling… it's like…." Fuuka did not explain further. "I'm worried about that black figure. If Yamagishi cannot identify what it is, we remain in constant danger of it," Mitsuru told him.

Meanwhile, Red Hawk was sitting on the floor. Ken was next to him, watching on with a worried expression. "Hawk-san, are you feeling tired? Maybe it'd be best if you rest up for the remainder of the Caina investigation."

Red Hawk wheezed.

"…There's an Access Point right over there," Shinji said, pointing at the glowy, sickly-green device positioned opposite the hole leading down to the next floor. "You should head back and get some rest." "I can't do that," Red Hawk protested weakly. "Just below us, an unknown force is most likely lying in wait. I promised to protect you all from Condor's traps-"

"Do you honestly believe he's the reason all these powerful Shadows keep appearing? Because I don't," Shinji interrupted. "It's not his style. If he really wanted us dead, he wouldn't wait around for us to catch up to him. He'd ambush us in the dorm, or something."

Hawk shook his head. "No, he wouldn't do that… it's true he wouldn't do play games like summoning creatures to crush us - he is a truly strong fighter. But he fights honorably – he would never resort to an ambush, either." His tone was surprisingly defensive.

"So you don't need to come with us," Shinji persisted. At the back of the teen's mind he was once again suspicious of how well Red Hawk and Black Condor knew each other. "Whatever the reason for the Shadows' appearances is our problem, not yours. Your job is to help us get out of the dorm and foil Black Condor's plans."

"I agree with Shinjiro-san! Please go back and rest for now!" Ken pleaded.

"Alright," Red Hawk relented. "I'll take a short rest – right after we deal with whatever's waiting for us below."

Shinjiro frowned, but he made no comment.

"Surely you didn't believe you could face the guardian Shadows with only three members in a group, Sensei?"

With obvious reluctance, Shinjiro dropped the subject and signaled his teammates to proceed to the next floor. Mitsuru didn't even bat an eye – she simply headed towards the hole. Ken hesitated, and then trailed after the redhead, glancing worriedly over his shoulder at his favorite superhero. Shinji moved to help the Featherman onto his feet and advised him to hang back in the upcoming fight. Red Hawk barely nodded in reply.

After counting to three, the investigation team jumped down – and almost immediately after landing on the checkered floor, a Shadow eerily similar in appearance to the Soul Dancers they faced in Cocytus swayed towards them menacingly. With the flick of its rapier, two Mayas appeared, flanking it.

"Shadow confirmed! And over there! It's that dark figure again!"

Shinjiro stared hard after the retreating silhouette. Was it the trick of the light, or was it his imagination, he was not sure, but he could've sworn the mysterious fleeing presence was a female….

"Could it be?" Fuuka wondered aloud. "If the Shadows are waiting for us like this… could "that" be what's summoning them…?"

Shinji grabbed his Evoker and gritted his teeth. Now wasn't the time to think about the dark figure. "Here they come!" He, Ken, Red Hawk and Mitsuru immediately spread out in formation, careful to keep the Harem Dancer and the Merciless Mayas in the middle at all costs. Pointing the Evoker at his head, he shouted, "Lachesis!"

* * *

Date Unknown  
Just Past Midnight  
Police Station

_Two young patrol officers are talking to a senior cop at the counter. All three of them have identical grim looks on their faces as they speak in hushed tones. Behind the senior police officer a young boy –Ken(?)- sits on a metal folding chair, his head bowed, his hands carefully folded on his lap. In the background, computers blip and bleep with second-by-second patrol updates. Some scary-sounding reports of a break-in and a domestic dispute are blaring above the radio static._

_At long last, the senior officer concludes his convo with his subordinates with, "Eh, you can go. Looks like a pretty routine accident."_

"_Call us if anything comes up," says one of the younger cops._

_The veteran cop waves his hand at them dismissively. "Yeah, sure."_

_As they turn to leave, Sergeant Akigawa turns and approaches Ken. "Hey kid, sorry I took so long. Says here your name's… Ken Amada, is that right?"_

_Ken nods stiffly. He doesn't say a word. _

_Akigawa scratches his head awkwardly. "Aw, well, geez… sorry about what happened to your mom. But she gave her life to save you from the collapse."_

"…_."_

"_Anyway, I gotta take your statement. You're a witness after all."_

"_If I told you what happened…would you believe me?" Ken asked softly, looking up at him with a surprisingly calm gaze. The older officer smiled reassuringly at the kid. "Of course I would! Helping people is my job."_

_Ken lowers his eyes to the floor, and his expression darkens. He speaks so quietly the officer barely heard him. "My mother was… murdered."_

"…_What?"_

"_Around midnight, I got up to use the bathroom… and I heard voices by the door… I looked and saw this teenager, holding his head and yelling…." "Wait… you're saying he did it? But the whole house was crushed!" Exclaims the veteran._

_Ken abruptly stands up. "There was this shining kind of horse monster, and it came right out of him! It roared, and my mom and my house were-!"_

_Abruptly, the older man chuckles, "Oh, a monster, huh? Haha… There's no way that actually happened. Oh… uh, I shouldn't laugh… I know sometimes that after a traumatic incident like this, people can-"_

_Ken balls his fist and slams it on the table. "I'm not lying! And I really saw it!"_

_Akigawa decides to level with Ken, "Look, it was an accident, plain and simple. A drunk driver crashed his car into your house." Ken stills at this new information. "What…? A car crash…?"_

"_We've already found the car and what's left of the driver. We just need an account of the accident now."_

"_That's a lie!" Ken shouts, banging his fist on the table again. "You're making that up!"_

_Akigawa shakes his head. "I know that's what you think, but… it's true."_

_Suddenly, one of the junior officers from earlier returns. "Sergeant! Can you come out here?" Akigawa calls over his shoulder, "Be right there!"_

"_Wait! I really saw it!" Ken pleads. Akigawa places a reassuring hand on the boy's shoulder. "I'm sorry for your loss… I have to go, but well… hope things get better," he recites distractedly before leaving._

_Ken stares dejectedly at the floor. "Liar. You said you'd believe me…."_

_After a moment, Ken looks up with a grim expression on his face. "…I can't trust any adults. So I'll find him myself…."_


	12. The Mark of Cain

A/N: This chapter is all about KEN! From his point of view! And a little bit more information about Shinjiro and the Phoenix Rangers! Thanks guys, you've been really patient!

* * *

**"I thought of lots of ways to search for the culprit,**

**but I couldn't manage any of them alone.**

**I kept wondering why the culprit had special powers, and I didn't...**

**I wonder if that's what led me to start experiencing the Dark Hour since that day..."**

-Ken Amada, from _Persona 3 FES: "The Answer"_

* * *

GLOSSARY:

**Persona: **Is physical embodiment of the strength of a person's heart and the power to summon it to your aid. Our heroes use Personas to kick some Shadow ass.

**Shadows:** Strange creatures that prey on people's minds. Tartarus was infested with them, and none have been sighted since it was destroyed. Now they're back and stronger than before.

**The Dark Hour:** An unnatural phenomenon caused by an experiment the Kirijo Group carried out years before. Every night, an extra hour would occur between 12:00 and 12:01. Only people with a certain amount of awareness could experience it, while other humans would transform into coffin shaped-objects, through a process called Transmogrification.

**Tartarus: **A frightful tower that appeared exclusively during the Dark Hour, AKA the Tower of Demise, it existed to bring the being known as Nyx into the world. Tartarus suppossedly vanished along with the Dark Hour when Nyx was defeated….

**SEES:** Acronym for "Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad". A school club that was formed to fight Shadows.

**Nyx:** Essentially, "the embodiment of Death". Nyx's sole purpose was to bring about The Fall, which would mean the extinction of all living things… but the disaster was prevented by the Main Character.

"**Her": **The leader of SEES. She fell into a deep coma shortly after the events of the P3P Female storyline. Currently, she is trapped in her room (still in a comatose state) and the other members of SEES are trying to find a way to get to her.

**Suppressants: **Powerful drugs administered to help one control his or her Persona. Shinjiro was taking these pills at one point, and at the cost of his life….

**Phoenix Ranger Featherman R: **A popular TV program that airs twice every Sunday.

**Logbook #3, page 66: **One of the important documents Mitsuru found. It details the initial investigation of the Abyss of Time. It implies that the Abyss may have come into being around the same time Tartarus was formed.

**Logbook #5, page 133: **One of the important documents Mitsuru found. It mentions that around the time the logbook entry was written, there were no Shadows within the Abyss.

**Scientist's Diary: **A diary Mitsuru found. It was written by "Mrs. Amida Katsuragi". This scientist admits in her diary that she and her husband were working with Eiichiro Takeba and other scientists to create the "accident" that would halt the experiment. The diary mentions a son.

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Caina

Ken felt decidedly…odd. There was just something to be said about watching a memory from your past right in front of you, watching your own self do the things you don't even remember doing once over. And there was the uncomfortable realization that this memory was no longer private, exclusive to you alone. He knew his friends were watching this and felt mixed feelings of guilt and defensiveness.

Ken watched the boy he was two years ago and it felt like he was witnessing someone else's past entirely. Did he really have such a dark, solemn expression? Did he truly think such resentful, spiteful thoughts? Yes, he did act and think that way, Ken relented. From two years ago, until last year, he was trapped within a fierce cyclone of hatred and pain. His only driving thought was to find the bastard who stole his mother's life.

He looked on as his younger self stared down at the cold, tiled floor and made a vow. The expression on his face was fraught with rage. Someone was gonna pay!

"_I'll find him myself…."_

With that, the scene began to dim, and the room seemed to tilt. Ken nearly stumbled as the police station and his doppelganger faded away from sight. Soon he found himself back where SEES left off: the lowest floor of Caina, deep inside the Abyss of Time.

Before anyone could say a single word, Red Hawk collapsed on the ground in a heap.

The next few minutes seemed to happen within the space of a few seconds. No one had a chance to say anything about the past they just witnessed; they were too preoccupied with the unconscious Red Hawk. Frankly, Ken was glad. Of course, he was worried about the health and well being of his idol; it's just that he didn't feel prepared for his friends' comments and questions. Especially Shinjiro's.

True, it was never officially announced or made known among the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad, but the moment Shinjiro and Ken laid eyes on each other since what happened last October, Ken just _knew _everything was alright between them, and he was grateful. Shinjiro didn't hate him. Ken was glad.

So now that they were true comrades, risking their lives as a team inside the Abyss, and friends who ate together with the others, Ken felt ashamed of his past.

With a worried frown, he watched Junpei and Shinjiro pick up Red Hawk's limp body and carry him into the light of the nearby Access Point. The rest of the team followed in silence. Ken never noticed the quick spark of light from his coat pocket….

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Dorm Lounge

Ken didn't notice the Key in his pocket until much later, after the strange yet calm and undemanding conversation he shared with his esteemed sempai and team leader. Two hours earlier, just after arriving back at the dorm and assigning Yukari to tend to Red Hawk, Ken offered to help out.

"No, instead I'd like you to come with me for a minute," Shinjiro said. Without waiting for a reply, he descended the stairs leading into the Desert of Doors. Feeling dread and apprehension, Ken trailed after him obediently.

_What does he want to talk about? _Ken wondered uneasily as his foot touched the sand.

Shinjiro was standing silently with his back to Ken, very close by the next Door to be opened and explored. Ken was momentarily distracted by the word scrawled in ash and frost across its gold surface, which read "Antenora".

"…is my favorite, too."

"Huh? Er, I…" Ken jumped in surprise and scratched his head. Shinjiro had spoken so softly and so suddenly he missed most of it. "I'm sorry, could you repeat that? I wasn't paying attention…."

Shinji did not turn around. Instead, he raised his voice a bit so it was clearer:

"Do you watch it? Do you watch Phoenix Ranger Featherman R?"

Of all the things Ken was expecting him to say, this ranked the lowest.

"Uhm, uhh… yes."

"Red Hawk is my favorite Ranger, too."

"E-excuse me?" Ken spluttered. Shinji abruptly turned around to face Ken, and the younger boy did a triple take as he stared in shock and wonder at Shinji's expression.

Shinjiro Aragaki, age 18. Iron chef, dog-lover, axe-wielder… one of the first three members of SEES… the very personification of the term "Badass"… literally and figuratively Ken's _savior_…had an uncharacteristic boyish grin on his face.

"I liked watching Phoenix Ranger Featherman R since I was 3," he confessed, chuckling. "Even when I moved to the orphanage, I snuck downstairs into the kitchen just to watch the late night showing. Of course, I never allowed the other kids to find out about it. Especially Aki."

"Why?" Ken blurted out. He was expecting anger. He was expecting ridicule. He was expecting another lecture. He was prepared, but not for this! This was-!

Shinji's eyebrows rose; instead of answering the monumental implications behind that single word, he commented, "Did you know that White Swan wasn't born into wealth?"

He paused when he noticed Ken's slack jaw and rounded eyes and laughed.

Before Ken knew what the heck was happening, he was caught up in a lighthearted discussion about Phoenix Ranger Featherman R, the kind of discussion that only fellow fans of a certain thing could have. Ken was shocked by the amount of information he had on the Feathermen… it (nearly) rivaled his own. Thinking back, it explained why Shinji knew the extent of Red Hawk's strength (A/N: see "Beginning, Part 4" for details").

"_I don't know if he can be trusted or not, but it doesn't seem like he wants to fight," _Shinjiro had told them at the time. _"Besides… if he really is 'Red Hawk', then the chains won't hold him anyway."_

Before long, Ken had slipped into the easy rhythm of the conversation. He gradually eased up and the events that had transpired not too long ago, at Caina's lowest floor, moved to the back of his mind. Somewhere in his subconsciousness the boy realized that it was foolish of him to expect Shinji to make judgments and accuse. It wasn't in his nature. It was at this very moment Ken regretted ever thinking it was unfair for Shinji to be awake while "she" was asleep.

Ken was grateful for what the older teen was doing for him, but right now he needed to get something off his chest.

He waited for the conversation to lull before coming forward, resolved.

"Shinjiro-san… I never got the chance to say this properly."

Ken paused, glancing up at Shinji's face, which had adopted a passive expression. In a sudden second of weakness, Ken dropped his gaze and focused it on Shinji's booted feet instead.

"I'm… sorry."

There. He said it. In truth there was a great deal more things he needed to say – about his past and his mom and October 4 and "her" - but after uttering those two simple words it was as if Ken had lost the ability to speak. No matter how hard he tried no sound escaped from his lips. Oh, well. Maybe that was enough. Maybe the guilt that was gnawing away at his insides would finally—

Huh? What was happening? Without him realizing it, Shinji had moved closer and was patting the top of his head in a brotherly way. Only then did Ken notice the tiny drops that were streaming down his face. Embarrassed, Ken rashly wiped away the tears with his jacket sleeve and sniffled. Shinji just kept ruffling his hair.

All was forgiven.

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Dorm Lounge

"Whoa! When did-?" Ken's astonished exclamation was cut short as he held up the Key. It flashed mysteriously underneath the dorm lounge's fluorescent lights.

"You da man, Ken!" Junpei cheered, running up and clapping the boy on his back. "Geez, why didn't you say you had a Key sooner?"

"I didn't do anything!" Ken protested. "I found it inside my pocket, but it wasn't there before!"

Mitsuru "hmmed" and studied the Key Ken was holding up with interest. "This is the second time it's happened: first with Akihiko, now with Ken. It may be possible that the appearance of each Key is directly related to the opening of Doors. Specifically, a Key is bestowed on whoever's past we view." She looked at Shinji, and he nodded in agreement.

"Pretty interesting theory, Mitsuru," Akihiko commented. "But it's not like the Key appears immediately after we finish watching the past. We'll have to keep opening Doors and see what happens-"

Yukari was sitting quietly on the only armchair left in the lounge, staring off to the side, seemingly far removed the discussion and more specifically, the dorm lounge. But at Akihiko's words she smacked her hand –hard- on the coffee table's wooden surface, effectively cutting the boxer off, and jumped to her feet. "How can you just say that so… so… _casually_? Doesn't any of this bother you at all?"

Akihiko narrowed his eyes at her. "Mind explaining to me what you mean?" His voice was anything but confused. Yukari refused to be intimidated. "How could you just talk about running through the Abyss of Time, opening Doors to our pasts like it's nothing? I'm pretty sure each of us has something we don't want to share with the others! _I_ sure as hell do! So, why?"

Everyone else besides Akihiko looked perturbed by her sudden outburst. Junpei moved over to where Yukari was, concerned. "Hey, Yuka-tan-"

But Yukari didn't stop there. She took a deep breath and violently shook her finger at Akihiko. "How did _you _feel when you saw your sister die right in front of your eyes all over again? I'd like to know!"

Akihiko took one step forward. "Stop it. Stop yelling before you say something you may regret." He said it in a very neutral manner, but everyone in the room perceived it as a threat. Yukari was no exception. She didn't even flinch or back away when he took yet another step towards her.

Thankfully, Mitsuru intervened before things got ugly. "That's enough. I'm officially closing this discussion. No one speaks a word of this further, or I'll execute you." Her stance and her tone stated finality as she lloked at first Yukari, then Akihiko. After an uncomfortable pause, both teens acquiesced.

Ken stared forlornly at his teammates. Things were definitely getting gloomier with each area they cleared...

* * *

A wee bit later, Ken knelt on the floor with Yukari and Mitsuru, having just finished using his healing arts with the two girls on the sickly superhero. On the couch lay Red Hawk. He was now conscious, but he couldn't pool enough strength to get up. In addition, his coughs were still pretty bad. Shinji watched Hawk from the counter with an expression Ken couldn't read. "Amada, are you alright?" Mitsuru queried. Ken turned his attention back to the "club president" and replied in the affirmative.

Meanwhile, Yukari held Red Hawk's "medicine" in her hand, and she was scrutinizing it closely. The bottle of pills came from Red Hawk himself. Okay, so maybe that wasn't the right way to put it... more like snitched from his pockets while he was still unconscious. "Hawk," Yukari began. "Do you think you've rested enough? Can you take these pills on your own?" "...No," he replied tiredly. "I apologize." "Please stop apologizing," Yukari said gently, a genuine smile slowly stretching across her face. "Ken, Mitsuru-sempai and I are going to get you all fixed up soon, just watch."

Ken watched Yukari speak to Red Hawk and found himself smiling, too. He was glad that Yukari seemed to like Hawk now, unlike before when she glared suspiciously at his back everytime he turned around. Now it was different; she was conversing with him and fighting alongside him with trust.

"I'm going to remove your mask," he heard Yukari say. At this, Ken immediately snapped to attention. Who could blame him for his curiosity of how their mysterious Abyss guide looked like underneath? Red Hawk appeared uncomfortable, however. "I'm not sure."

"Do you need to take this medicine? This is your medicine, right?"

"Yes, it is."

Mitsuru stood up and crossed her arms. "If you don't mind, I'd like to know just how long ago you've contracted this... illness, Red Hawk."

A pregnant pause.

"It started two years ago," Red Hawk said slowly, giving off every impression of someone struggling to recall a memory. "This strange condition of mine began around the same time I met Black Condor in Cocytus, two... or maybe three years ago."

"You mean, you've never even met Condor until then?" Yukari didn't bother hiding her shocked curiousity. Red Hawk didn't reply.

After a moment, Yukari announced, "I'm going to take off your helmet and help you drink your medicine. Is that alright?"

Red Hawk stilled, as if pondering this, and finally, reluctantly nodded.

Ken felt himself tense up as Yukari slipped her fingers beneath the edges of Hawk's helmet and tugged. The first thing he noticed was his pale complexion, and equally pale lips. Next he saw a straight nose and well-sculpted cheekbones. The helmet rose higher, revealing a pair of stunning golden eyes...

He felt his throat constrict from shock. Ken was only half aware of Yukari's slackened jaw and Mitsuru's gasp as the helmet came off completely. Somewhere in his peripheral vision, he saw Shinji stand up really fast, eyes wide open. Ken couldn't believe what he was seeing. The resemblance he saw was... frightening in a way. In a voice he barely recognized as his own, Ken said aloud in disbelief:

"...Akihiko-sempai?"


	13. A Prelude

+Author's note:  
Hi guys, I'm sorry for the long wait! I think I said that already in the previous chapter 0_0. Please forgive me! The title is "Prelude" because this chapter is exactly that – a prelude to the first of three much-awaited battles with the enigmatic Black Condor! I wanted to release this chapter and the next chapter at the same time, but it's been too long since I last updated, so I've decided to post this up now.

By the way, I read all of your reviews and your theories of the true identities of the two Featherman Rangers. It seems most of you guys got confused and excited by what I revealed in the last chapter ^^.

Who or what is Red Hawk and Black Condor? All of you are on the right track. Unfortunately, none of you got the right answer. Don't rush yourselves! There are about ten more chapters before everything is revealed! ^^

* * *

THE STORY SO FAR:

On Graduation Day (March 5, 2010), the SEES members regain all their memories of the Dark Hour and run to the promised place of reunion: the school rooftop.

That same day, the Female Main Character closed her eyes and fell into a deep coma, similar to what happened to Shinjiro last October 4. She spends the rest of the month in a private ward at Tatsumi Memorial Hospital, hooked to various life-support machines. The doctor predicts she will die in two months or less.

About a month after the events of Persona 3 Portable (the Female storyline), the former SEES members excluding Yukari and Akihiko hold a farewell party in their dorm, which was closing down. With Mitsuru's support, they transfer the Main Character out of her private ward and into her old bedroom at the dorm for the day.

Late that night, the dorm abruptly experiences a blackout, and a huge trapdoor appears in the lounge floor where a mysterious intruder appears. He is Black Condor, a member of Ken's favorite superhero group, Phoenix Ranger Featherman R. Everyone is defenseless save for Aigis, who is an Anti-Shadow weapon, and she combats him and loses. Shinjiro, who was already resting in his room for the night, was awakened by a frightened Fuuka, and battles Black Condor. In the heat of the fight, Shinjiro, despite not being able to summon his Persona anymore, suddenly awakens to the power to control multiple Personas. With his new Persona, Orpheus (female version) he manages to drive back Condor for the time being. Shinjiro falls unconscious due to fatigue and his wounds. The other members discover and apprehend Red Hawk, another member of Phoenix Ranger Featherman R, who was hiding nearby watching the entire thing.

Akihiko and Yukari, who were outside the dorm when it happened, quickly learned that everyone in the entire city has fallen into a deep sleep. They make it to the dorm to report. However, once they do, it becomes impossible to leave. Shinjiro wakes up hours later, his wounds almost healed thanks to Red Hawk's cooperation and Yukari's healing abilities. He finds that the dorm is still experiencing a blackout, and that time has stopped. According to Red Hawk's explanation, everything boils down to the Abyss of Time, and the only possible way to escape is to collect the Keys of Time strewn throughout the Abyss. The SEES members decide to investigate, with Shinjiro acting as leader and Red Hawk acting as a guide.

The Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad has overcome a number of hurdles in the past few days: they've secured a steady supply route (to Paulownia Mall IN THE PAST), restored electricity to the dorm and the ICU therefore ensuring "her" survival, and revived Aigis from her comatose state. The club is now at full fighting strength, and they've already cleared Malebolge, Cocytus and Caina. All is not well, however. Red Hawk's condition is worsening with each "day" that passes. Yet he insists on continuing his duty to protect Shinjiro and his friends while giving them important information.

In the last chapter, Yukari removes Red Hawk's helmet to administer some of the special drugs found on his person and his face is revealed to be uncannily similar to Akihiko Sanada's!

So many things have happened already, and it's only the beginning: "She" is still trapped within her sealed room, and the team still has no way to reach her. The race against Black Condor to collect all the Keys of Time has begun anew. The true nature of Red Hawk's and Black Condor's relationship is still unknown. In addition, the SEES members have encountered a mysterious human entity within the Abyss of Time _other than _Black Condor; whether or not this dark figure poses a threat to our heroes is still unclear. But perhaps the greatest challenge the Squad must overcome is not external, but internal, namely, maintaining their sense of friendship and unity….

* * *

**FREE TIME**

(You are playing as Shinjiro again. The temperature of the dorm lounge seems to have dropped several degrees… you approach a peeved Akihiko to hear what he has to say.)

Akihiko: ….

He doesn't meet your gaze, but he acknowledges your presence with a tight nod.

* * *

Check status/equipment  
Add to party  
**Nothing**

* * *

(Surprisingly, Ken has slightly distanced himself from both his favorite superhero _and_ his favorite boxing senior.)

Ken: I wanted to help get Hawk-san's mind off what happened, but he told me that he wanted to sort this out by himself. Shinjiro-san… isn't there any way we can help him?

* * *

Check status/equipment  
Add to party  
**Nothing**

* * *

(After talking to Yukari, you conclude that it's not a good idea to leave Yukari behind in the dorm at the same time as Akihiko.)

Yukari: What's Akihiko-sempai's problem? How can he just waltz through the visions of our pasts like it's nothing to him? …I thought I understood his feelings when we had that talk….

* * *

Calm down.  
**When did this talk happen?**

* * *

Yukari: Oh, it was the night of the farewell party. I was on my way to the dorm, and it was really late – just about half an hour before time stopped, I guess, when I bumped into Akihiko-sempai at the Iwatodai Station. We pretty much just talked about… the past. It was the first time I really connected with him. I thought I understood him, but now….

* * *

Check status/equipment  
**Add to party  
**Nothing

* * *

Yukari: …Let me at 'em.

(Aigis is standing at the counter. When you come closer, you notice almost immediately the additional armor pieces attached to her body and head.)

Aigis: Weapons and sensors… intact. "Persona Summoning Sequence" and all other important processes… fully booted. Status… green. I am ready to move out, Shinjiro-san.

* * *

Check status/equipment  
**Add to party  
**Nothing

* * *

Aigis: Understood.

(Koromaru sits at her feet, once again scrutinizing the mysterious Phoenix Ranger who now sleeps soundly on the sofa.)

Koromaru: Arf! Arf!

He seems to be staring right at Red Hawk.

...

...It looks like Koromaru wants to tell you something about Red Hawk.

Aigis: Koromaru says, "Red Hawk smells like Shinjiro-san." Shinjiro-san, do you have any idea what he means? Is Koro-chan perhaps mistaken?

Koromaru: Arf! Arf! Arf! *howl*

Aigis: Now he says, "I will investigate Hawk-san further when I have the chance." Shinjiro-san, it appears Koro-chan would very much like to accompany you into the Abyss of Time in Red Hawk-san's place. Please listen to his request.

* * *

Check status/equipment  
**Add to party  
**Nothing

* * *

Koromaru: Arf! Arf!

(Junpei is sitting on the floor near the television, eating a cup of noodles.)

Junpei: Don't get the wrong idea, sempai, I'm as worried about all this like you and everybody else. It's just that... when there's too much to take in all at once... I end up getting a headache. And an appetite. Know what I mean?

* * *

Are you even taking this seriously?  
**...You really are an idiot.  
**Whatever you say.  
How can you eat noodles at a time like this?

* * *

Junpei: Aww, c'mon, sempai! Don't be that way!

* * *

Check status/equipment  
Add to party  
**Nothing**

* * *

(The ice maiden apparently shares your sentiments on Junpei's behavior.)

Mitsuru: I am very surprised that Iori can eat, after everything that we found out these past couple of hours. I, on the other hand, still cannot stomach the fact that Red Hawk's face is so much like Akihiko's... Other than his black hair, gold eyes and other subtle different facial features, he could be mistaken for Akihiko's twin. Or his estranged cousin. Junpei's will appears to be stronger than the average person's...

* * *

Check status/equipment  
Add to party  
**Nothing**

* * *

(On the couch, Hawk lying down, helmet off, hands folded across his stomach. You can really see the fatigue on his pale, Akihiko-resembling face...)

Red Hawk is sleeping peacefully. He doesn't budge an inch when you call him.

...

You decide to leave him alone to rest.

* * *

(The group operator waits patiently for you next to the trapdoor leading to the Abyss with a summary report on Red Hawk's capabilities.)

Fuuka: Both Akihiko-sempai and Red Hawk use gloves and claws in battle, and are adept at close-range fighting. I've told you that before, remember? And now we see that the similarities between them aren't just limited to their preferred weapons, movements and techniques... it even extends to their face and physique. The only obvious difference is their Personas. After Akihiko-sempai's Persona transformed from Polyduceus to Cesar, it bacame more magic-oriented, and is still weak to ice. On the other hand, Testament, Red Hawk's Persona, is more physical oriented although he knows some Garu skills. He has no weaknesses, just like your old persona, Castor. I hope this information helps.

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Antenora

_At long last, Red Hawk was going to share some important information about himself and Black Condor. The rest of the members of SEES had joined Ken, Yukari and Mitsuru in the dorm lounge. Except for Shinji, who leaned against the wall a few feet away, everyone gathered around the couch where the Featherman lay, apprehensively waiting for him to speak._

"_I… awakened… inside Cocytus about ten years ago," Hawk began slowly. Without the helmet covering his face, his voice sounded strangely crystal clear. "The moment I realized I was Red Hawk, I was thrilled. My greatest wish had come true."_

"_What wish?" Yukari interrupted. Hawk glanced at her with his gold orbs eyes, eyes that the squad felt they could never get used to seeing. "I have no idea. I don't remember the details – all I know is I really wanted to be a different person, to be Red Hawk, and I finally achieved it. I was happy… at first."_

_He paused. It was like he was reviewing his memories, trying to decide which parts of his past to reveal. Red Hawk finally told them, "I pulled off my helmet, and I saw my face for the first time… I felt that my face was something I had wanted and finally gained as well, but for some reason, it also felt wrong."_

"_I felt like it was all just… a game of some sort. Or maybe like a dream I was going to wake up from. It hurt just looking at my reflection, so I try to keep my helmet on most of the time." As he said this, he glanced in Akihiko's direction and then quickly looked away._

* * *

The interior of Antenora looked like a dusty old ruined castle to Shinji, with the endless columns of stone pillars and cracked carved walls. Yet he and his team had no time to enjoy the scenery as they explored - the Shadows were getting stronger and stronger the lower they descended and with each area they cleared, ambushing them at almost every turn. There was no time to rest. SEES was determined to collect all the Keys of Time before Black Condor did. To save their leader.

As Shinji, Yukari, Koromaru and Aigis reached the 9th floor, a dark figure immediately jumped down to the next floor.

"That reaction again…," Fuuka said slowly. "Was it in the form of a person…? What does it mean? It feels just like a human does…. But, other than Black Condor, there couldn't be anyone here…."

Shinjiro looked up. "Fuuka."

"Ah! I'm sorry! Let's see… I sense three strong enemies directly below you. Will you return to the dorm for more preparations?"

"…No need. We'll advance to the lower floor and meet the Shadows head on."

* * *

"_Around two years ago, Black Condor appeared for the first time-"_

"_You mean he wasn't with you from the start?" Fuuka broke in, surprised. And she wasn't the only one – all of the SEES members had concluded that Red Hawk and Black Condor were inside the Abyss together the entire time._

"_No, the first time I ever met him was just two years ago," Hawk said slowly. "From the moment I saw him, I knew who he was, and the fact that he was stronger than me. Until he came around, I was the only person wandering inside the Abyss, I'm sure of it. And now… there's the matter of a third person wandering around down there…."_

* * *

"Multiple Shadows confirmed!" Fuuka announced.

Suddenly, Yukari gasped loudly and pointed. "Look over there!"

To their surprise, the black silhouette was simply standing off to one side. It seemed to be watching them. Shinjiro squinted, trying to get a clear look at the mysterious figure, but it was too far away, and there wasn't enough light to see properly.

"That figure over there… it doesn't seem to have any intention of attacking us. Anyway, for now, concentrate on the Shadows ahead!"

The Primitive Idol let out a melodious shriek and began to weave its magic in the air with complicated hand movements.

"Fuuka, hold off on scanning their weaknesses. Instead, I want you to keep an eye on each member and tell us who needs healing or support. In addition, I want you to scan the lower floors for any sign of Black Condor. If Red hawk's prediction is right, Condor should be waiting for us."

"H-huh? Shinjiro-sempai, are you sure about that…?"

"It's fine. I know what I'm doing." Shinji smiled a little bit. "Red Hawk gave me a detailed report of Black Condor's moves… and pets." He scrutinized each Shadow closely. "The Primitive Idol, the Shouting Tiara and the Wrathful Book. All present and accounted for."

"Shinjiro-san, they've begun to move in formation," Aigis warned. Being a robot, she had special heat and motion sensors installed, which helped her predict and dodge or parry enemy attacks. Shinjiro glared at the Shadows. "So this is the welcoming committee, eh?"

* * *

_Shinji watched the other members as they slowly trickled out of the lounge. "Red Hawk, as of the moment, I'm placing you on standby until you recover," Shinji stated when they were all gone, finally approaching the reclining hero. "Sure, you're our guide, but right now you'll just be a burden to us, so I want you to stay here until you're ready to fight again. Alright?"_

_Hawk looked away for a split second – only for a split second – and looked back at Shinji, silently complying. "I understand."_

_Shinji nodded, pleased that Red Hawk wasn't protesting, and turned to leave as well._

"_Sensei, I need to tell you something."_

"…_?"_

"_It's about… Black Condor…."_

"_What about Black Condor?"_

* * *

"The enemies are down!" Fuuka cried.

Yukari glanced over her shoulder at Shinji. "Sempai! Here's our chance for an All-Out-Attack!"

* * *

"_Once he sets his mind on something, he'll do everything in his power to achieve it. There's no point in reasoning with him now, because to him, we're just obstacles that need to be dealt with. All of us."_

_Shinjiro frowned at Red Hawk's description of Black Condor. For one reason or another, it felt like his old self, from two years ago, was the one being described._

"_The only way to stop him from killing the Wild Card is to defeat him, but I don't want him to die… because he's my older brother. Please, if there's any way you can resolve your differences peacefully, I want you to try, I beg you."_

* * *

At long last, Shinji and the party reached the 20th floor. The mysterious presence was long gone, but giving chase wasn't their objective at the moment.

Along the way, Aigis had pointed out the noticable lack of Shadows as they moved downwards from floor 11, all the way to the floor they were presently on. Yukari had half-joked, "Maybe Black Condor's taking care of the Shadows for us, so we can get to him faster." Her teammates didn't find it amusing; rather, they found it disturbing.

"Heheheh… welcome." Black Condor mockingly bowed low as they approached, then straightened his stance. "This is the second to the bottommost floor of Antenora. I can see that you didn't heed any of my warnings and continued your investigation of the Abyss, which is truly a shame…."

Behind Shinji, his teammates Aigis, Yukari and Koromaru already had their weapons drawn, ready for battle. Black Condor's voice was deceptively calm but Shinji could plainly see that he, too, had his saber brandished. Once again, Shinji felt his gaze drawn towards the large, siderweb-like crack on Condor's helmet, on the left side. When - and how - did Black Condor's helmet get damaged like that? Back when Condor had attacked the dorm, the crack already existed on his mask. Maybe Red Hawk knew its origins...

_Hawk, I know you asked me to look for a way to resolve this peacefully with your brother, but negotiation isn't an option open to me right now, _Shinjiro thought, holding his axe at the ready.

_Not when everyone else is so damned impatient to kill each other._


	14. Versus Black Condor I

The last chapter was pretty short! That's because that chapter and this chapter were originally one and the same, but I decided to cut it into two parts.

Once again, I apologize for the boring fight scenes. Fight scenes are NOT my cup of tea. So please help me by pointing out any mistakes (like if they did something impossible) and I'll correct it as fast as I can! Thanks!

For extra fun, you can play Black Condor's theme in another window or tab while you read this chapter. I'm not kidding, he really does have a theme song! Featherman R is based off a real life super sentai show, after all! Just search online for "Honoo no Condor" or "Choujin Sentai Jetman Honoo no Condor". Here's a link if you want (remove the spaces):

h t t p : / / w w w . y o u t u b e . c o m / w a t c h ? v = 7 q W b H _ h k j o A

It's just a piano coverage, and kind of slow-paced, though...

On a side note, just how deadly is this fight with Black Condor? At this point Shinji and the party have only reached the bottommost floors in Antenora, which means they would be around level 45.

To successfully beat Black Condor, they'd have to be around level 75. 0_0

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Dorm Lounge

"_Red Hawk," Shinji began. "Before you sleep, I want you to tell me what we're up against." "Black Condor's really, really strong," Hawk replied. "He has no other choice except to be strong. He has no weakness because it cannot be allowed; it must not be allowed. I am not allowed to be stronger than him." Shinji frowned at Red Hawk and his choice of words._

"_**No other choice? **He has no weakness because **it cannot be allowed? You're not allowed to be stronger than him?**" He repeated Hawk's words aloud quizzically, finding difficulty in grasping his meaning. "Why the hell are you talking in riddles all of a sudden?" Hawk shook his head sadly. "I don't really understand the reason behind it, either. When I first met Black Condor, this 'truth' simply came to be. Only Black Condor knows the whole truth behind my origins and his own origins…."_

_Red Hawk stared hard at Shinji. "He probably also knows the real reason why time has stopped, and why you're all trapped here… he must know how to escape, as well. Please, Shinjiro-sensei, try to talk it over with my older brother. Fighting can't be the only way. Please…."_

* * *

"Shinjiro-sempai isn't seriously planning on fighting Black Condor head on, is he?" Junpei piped up, obviously worried. The SEES members that weren't chosen for the investigation of Antenora were gathered at the dorm lounge, watching Fuuka inside Juno's "womb" as she closed her eyes in concentration. There was nervous tension in the air as they all stood around with bated breath for an update from Fuuka.

They all knew that, at this very moment, Shinji and his team was probably fighting for their lives.

Mitsuru frowned. She offered no explanation to Junpei's question. If she knew anything, she was keeping it to herself. Akihiko was much calmer than before, but he stayed silent as well, cracking his gloved knuckles.

"Is there any way we can go down there and help him out?" Ken voiced out. He, too, was very worried. He glanced over his shoulder at Red Hawk, who slept peacefully on the couch not too far away. Ken felt that he finally understood Hawk's anxiousness to protect the Squad – and his helplessness.

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Abyss of Time  
Antenora, Floor 24

Meanwhile, Fuuka was dumping her insecurities on Shinji all at once. "Shinjiro-sempai! Everyone! You can't be serious about this! Black Condor is too strong for you to face in direct combat… you have to get out of there! You can't win!" It was the truth; the amount of power she sensed from Black Condor was staggering. She feared him almost as much as she feared Death.

"Yukari! Aigis! You two are handling support!" Shinji shouted. "Koro and I will face him head on!

"Right!' Yukari and Aigis said in unison. Koromaru barked his affirmative. Acting quickly, they spread out all over the floor in cross formation, making sure Black Condor was in the middle.

Black Condor didn't even move an inch. He seemed to be watching, waiting….

"Shinjiro-sempai, please RUN!" Fuuka wailed. The teen ignored her plea and ordered her to scan Black Condor for any information.

"B-but, I've already tried that before," Fuuka protested. "No matter what I did, I couldn't get any information from him…."

"Do you actually believe you have the slightest _hope _of defeating me?" Black Condor asked in a kingly way. Hearing it pissed the hell out of Shinji.

"Don't patronize me." He growled, whipping out his Evoker. He summoned Black Frost.

The big, dark counterpart of Jack Frost rose into the air, doing a backflip and flapping his arms wildly. In response, a burst of lava erupted from the floor, engulfing Black Condor with its fiery grasp. Condor didn't even budge; he got knocked back a little from the impact, but he just stood there, taking the brunt of the attack.

Koromaru immediately followed up Shinji's Agilao with an even stronger fire attack. He drew his head back and howled into the air. With the sound of breaking glass, the fearsome Cerberus joined the little dog, raising its three heads and giving a bone-chilling howl of its own. The Agidyne seemed to burn the very air around it – yet Black Condor still did not move from his spot.

It didn't look like Shinji's and Koromaru's attacks had much effect….

"Shit! Fire's wasted on 'im!" He called out his warning to his teammates, specifically, Koromaru.

"Help me!" Yukari hollered, breaking out of her defensive stance to shoot herself.

"I need your help!" Aigis yelled out as well, releasing her Persona.

In unison, Isis and Athena soared high overhead. Isis flapped its wings slowly, powerfully, summoning up a gust of wind so sharp it could be seen by the naked eye. Athena held up her large, heavy spear with one hand and hurled it at Black Condor with all her might. Yukari's Garula and Aigis' Kill Rush connected with Black Condor at the exact same time….

_Swooosh! Bam!_

…But when the dust cleared, Black Condor was simply straightened, brushing the dirt off his black Featherman R costume with a negligent hand. It was as if their assaults were nothing at all to him.

_Something's wrong…. _Shinji realized somewhere at the back of his head. _It's like we're hitting a brick wall!_

"What's going on?" Yukari gasped, incredulous. "Why isn't any of our attacks working?"

Shinji gritted his teeth. Was this battle really as hopeless as Fuuka first claimed?

No! They couldn't give up! Not now!

"Don't stop!" Shinji bellowed out his order, causing his teammates to look at him with surprise. "There has to be something we can do! Hit him with everything you have! Fuuka, have you found anything yet?"

It was a moment before Fuuka finally responded. "…No, nothing, yet…."

"Fuck!" Angrily spewing a few more foul words, Shinji switched out Black Frost with Saki Mitama.

"…I don't believe you are aware of this, because if you were, you wouldn't be here endangering yourself and your 'friends' like now," Black Condor began slowly. "So let me ask you this: what drives you?"

Shinji paused. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"What drives you to save the Wild Card? Is it love? Friendship?" He said the words _love _and _friendship _with a distasteful, scornful tone. "Because if those are the reasons then you have absolutely no chance of defeating me, ever." Out of nowhere, his black motorcycle, the Phoenix Speeder, zoomed into the fray and proceeded to attempt ramming down the party. Black Condor himself advanced on Shinji, his retractable blade sliding out of its compartment. He swung at Shinji with all his might, again and again. Shinjiro held up his axe, doing his best to keep steady under the force of the onslaught of quick slicing movements.

"I'm not who I used to be!" Yukari summoned Isis over and over, hitting Black Condor with Garula after Garula. Aigis and Koromaru were the same, powering up each other with their Kaja skills and slamming him with all their best physical attacks, at the same time dodging his seemingly AI-programmed motorcycle when it lunged.

To Shinji, it was as if he and Condor were transported to a different place far, far away from the ongoing battle. His teammates were fighting alongside him, yes, and he was no longer talking to Condor, but for some reason or another, he could still Black Condor's voice as if it resounded inside his own head:

"I am on the side of right. You are fighting a pointless battle, Shinjiro Aragaki."

It was neither calming nor reassuring. It was a proud declaration, and it made Shinjiro enraged in a way he couldn't understand.

And…

It brought to surface all those aching emotions Shinjiro was so familiar with: guilt, helplessness, powerlessness, regret, and a sense of defeat….

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Dorm Lounge

Fuuka desperately searched for the source of Black Condor's power. She was totally aware of the awesome responsibility placed on her shoulders, and it made her even more desperate. Next to her, standing right outside Juno's womb was Mitsuru, eyes closed in deep concentration. Juno and Artemisia had joined hands, combining their scanning powers. The battle has stretched for almost 15 minutes; with each second that passed, Fuuka felt that her comrades' lives were slowly slipping away.

Perhaps she was going at this situation all wrong. Maybe she needed to change perspective, find another possibility, another way….

She quickly reviewed in her head what a Persona was: A Persona was the embodiment of power from a person's soul. Only those with potential could do battle with Shadows and experience the hidden time known as the Dark Hour.

Fuuka realized with a start that this information was completely irrelevant to their current situation. The Dark Hour is gone, although the Shadows remain. In short, she knew next to nothing about the true nature of Personas. It was no wonder she could not pinpoint Black Condor's Persona properly… if he really had one, like she suspected. She was so used to Personas in easily identifiable forms….

Trying a different tack, she thought back to when the SEES members fought under "her" as they battled through Tartarus. Fuuka thought it was amazing that so many different Personas could be summoned by a single person. They came in forms of mythical creatures, humanoids, gods, goddesses, heroes, spirits and even inanimate objects from legends and folklore and religions all over the world!

Since Personas could come with so much variety, and in so many different forms –

"Ah!" Fuuka exclaimed. "Could it be…?"

With a sudden burst of inspiration, Fuuka stopped trying to analyze Black Condor and shifted her attention to his motorcycle, the Phoenix Speeder….

What she discovered brought joy and hope to her heart.

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Abyss of Time  
Antenora, Floor 24

"You haven't answered my question yet." Black Condor deftly parried Shinji's wild swing of his axe. "What drives you to save the Wild Card? What drives you to lead your comrades to freedom from the Abyss?"

"I don't need to tell you _shit_," Shinji snarled. He lunged forward, swinging his axe again. He missed. Black Condor backed away a few feet as he reached into a hidden pocket, pulled out some bird-shaped shurikens, and quickly flung them. They flashed and spun through the air towards Shinji in deadly formation. Shinjiro planted his booted feet firmly on the ground, his eyes narrowing in concentration. At just the right moment, he adjusted the angle of his axe and swung it diagonally upwards, effectively knocking the deadly projectiles away. But Black Condor had already leaped forwards into a one-handed spring. Using the momentum, he flew towards the teen and kicked him squarely in the chest.

Shinjiro staggered backwards, but he managed to swing his axe in the opposite direction. The blunt part of his weapon crashed against the side of Black Condor's helmet with a loud bang. The spiderweb-like crack in Condor's helmet seemed to grow noticeably larger, spreading over the front and just below the visor, but the helmet overall was still intact. The Featherman staggered backwards from the impact as well.

_Where are the others? Are they all right? _Shinji wondered frantically. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw that all three of them were having trouble with Black Condor's motorcycle and could no longer assist Shinji directly. His guts told him that it was Condor's plan all along to separate him from his friends. At the very least, they were safe, so Shinji could concentrate on Black Condor.

"Never take your gaze off of your opponent."

His body reacted at the sound of Condor's voice with pure instinct; Shinji dove away just as Condor fired his ray gun at him. Bolts of energy streaked through the air around Shinji as he dodged, jumped and rolled to safety. _Cheating bastard, _Shinji thought sourly as he ducked just in time. The brightly colored beam connected with the pillar the teen happened to be standing in front of, splintering it, leaving it badly dented and smoking.

"Shinjiro-sempai, I've figured it out!" Fuuka's voice came out of nowhere, shocking Shinji so much he faltered in his dodging. As a result, the upper sleeve of his Gekkoukan uniform jacket ended up singed.

The teen ducked behind a wall and counted silently to three before he replied, "Black Condor's weakness?" in a controlled voice.

"No, not his weakness. Rather, the source of most of his skills and power," Fuuka explained quickly. "You know his motorcycle, the Phoenix Speeder? At first I thought it was AI controlled but I've scanned it again. It's actually a Persona!"

Shinji peeked around the corner to check what Black Condor was doing and cursed silently. The Ranger was slowly headed in his general direction. "His motorcycle is a Persona? How the _fuck _is that even _possible_?"

"It appears to have cloaked itself in that fashion, but it truly is Black Condor's Persona," Fuuka assured the teen confidently. "I believe striking it a few times with a certain attack will cause it to revert to its true form."

"Listen, that's great news and all, but I'm kinda _preoccupied _right now," Shinji said matter-of-factly. "I'd like you to relay your information to Aigis and the others instead."

"Roger!"

Right at that moment, Black Condor jumped out at Shinjiro, startling him. In the same moment he pirouetted on one foot and kicked out and up with the other foot, striking Shinjiro in the ribs.

Shinji was knocked off his feet and would have ended up crashing against the wall at the far end; but he wasn't the weakling he'd been when he first fought Condor at the dorm. Thanks to the intense training and his frequent encounters with the Shadows he had regained his old fighting form; Shinji's instincts kicked in and he simply tucked in his knees and allowed himself to tumble head over heels through the air, landing gracefully in a crouching position on the floor.

"Another important question: how much do you trust Red Hawk?" Black Condor queried with disdainful curiosity as he strode forward. "Do you honestly believe he is a trustworthy guide for you and your friends?"

"…." Shinji didn't reply. He had his eyes trained solely on the Featherman. He knew that Condor was still holding back his true strength, and his past experience fighting him put Shinji on guard.

"Red Hawk has definitely been around much longer than I have. But he operates solely on his desires." Black Condor shook his head with disgust. "Every move he makes is in accordance only to what he wants, regardless of the consequences - even if what he wants isn't _right_. He has no sense of responsibility at all. At all!"

For some reason, Shinji felt ticked off more than ever before. Perhaps it was because Black Condor was belittling Red Hawk, his own _brother_, like it was nothing at all, while Shinji felt nothing but respect for the crimson-costumed hero. Or maybe it was because he was getting _sick _of Condor's superior attitude.

Shinji gripped the handle of his weapon so tightly, his knuckles were white. But Shinji held himself back for all it was worth – no matter how much he wanted to slug that bastard, he couldn't afford to make any foolhardy moves. At present, it was hard to accept, but Fuuka was right – Shinji and the rest of the Squad still did not possess the strength necessary to face Black Condor head-on in a real fight.

"So, Shinjiro, I would very much appreciate it if you answered my question," Black Condor was saying, seemingly unaware of Shinji's internal conflict.

"I shall ask you point blank: Are you trying so hard to save the Wild Card because it is _the right thing to do_? Or are you merely _driven by your own desires_?"

"What gives you the authority to judge right and wrong?" Shinjiro hissed back.

"Calm yourself, Shinjiro Aragaki. You misunderstand my intentions," said Black Condor. "I am no judge. I am merely a guide, just like Red Hawk. I will do everything to push you onto the correct path, even if it kills me." Shinji snorted with derision. "And you'd kill an innocent woman to achieve this?" "Don't let your emotions blind you to the truth," Condor advised. "She is far from innocent. It is because of her _curse _that everything ended up this way!"

"A curse? You're saying she placed a fucking _curse _on us? You expect me to _believe _shit like that?"

"Surely you believe. In fact, only you have heard the exact words she uttered, Shinjiro Aragaki… only you…."

Before Shinji could retort, he stilled. Something about Condor's choice of words caused his mind to think back to the very last time he held "her" in his arms, truly held her.

Graduation Day...

"Think, Shinjiro Aragaki, think hard," Black Condor urged quietly. "Recall your final moment with her before she fell into her coma. Recall _**her final words**_…."

It didn't take the teen more than a minute to remember:

* * *

**"_Please, let me stay with you like this for a little while longer…."_**

* * *

_Clink… clink… clink…._

A strange sound interrupted his train of thought. It was the sound of rattling, clanking chains...

Suddenly Fuuka's voice blared, "Shinjiro-sempai, you have to get out of there NOW!" She sounded very frightened.

Black Condor paused. He cocked his head a little, as if listening intently. All of a sudden, he shouted out a warning. "We'll continue this conversation in the near future. As of the moment, prepare yourself!"

Shinji drew back in surprise. "W-what…?"

Before he could comprehend what was happening, Black Condor whirled around and ran towards the general direction Yukari and the others were. Without thinking, Shinji bolted after him.

To his increasing horror, he saw that his team was backed into a corner.

By the Reaper.

Oh great. Just… _great._

"Fuuka, can you get us out of here?" Shinjiro was referring to her ability to teleport the team from the depths of the Abyss back to the safety of the Desert of Doors.

"I-I'm already working on it!" Fuuka's voice was shrill.

Death tossed its head back in silent laughter and aimed one of his shotguns at the trapped team.

At that same moment, Black Condor swiped something across his Cross Changer (the device on his wrist) and yelled, "Change!"

The Phoenix Speeder, which was parked off to one side, began to glow. It slowly increased in intensity, brighter and brighter….

"Guuuoooohhh!" The Reaper squawked in surprise and pain as dozens of tiny icicles pierced it from below and rained on it from above, trapping it and slowing its movements. Yukari, Aigis and Koromaru took this chance to dodge around the Reaper, heading in the general direction of Shinji.

"Fuuka!" Shinji shouted urgently. "We could sure use a rescue right about now!"

"I'm sorry, I'm charging up as fast as I can!" Fuuka wailed.

"Oh, noo!" Yukari tripped in her step and fell forward, landing on the floor with a _thump_ just as Aigis and Koromaru reached Shinji. Right then, the Reaper recovered from Condor's surprise attack, whirled around and spotted Yukari painfully sprawled on the ground. It aimed its shot gun once again.

"Yukari-san!" Aigis cried. Koro barked loudly. Shinji knew he was too far away to save the archer, but he still sprinted towards her. He was going to take any chance he could get.

The Reaper fired its gun, and flames began to shoot out from beneath Yukari, threatening to engulf her completely. To everyone's shock, Black Condor seemingly dove right in from the sky, gathered the helpless Yukari up in his arms and carried her safely outside range just as the Ragnarok erupted.

Shinji blinked once, twice. He could see black feathers flashing on Condor's back. It wasn't his imagination….

The Featherman landed next to the team, setting Yukari down on her feet. As the other members looked on, still in shock, she peered into his masked face with genuine gratitude and surprise. "Y-you saved me…."

"The next floor is the lowest level of Antenora. You'll find another Door to the past there. Go." Condor pointed a gloved finger towards a path leading off to the left. "I'll make no further attempts to stop your investigation until you've opened all the Doors. See for yourself the reasons why you are trapped here. We'll meet again once you've made a choice." With that, he leapt towards the Reaper, fully intent on facing Death head on.

"Is he insane?" Yukari exclaimed, unable to absorb the fact that Black condor was trying to challenge Death all on his own..

Black Condor swiped his Cross Changer again. "Come forth!" He commanded in a powerful voice. "Atonement!"

With the powerful flap of black wings, a horse-like beast emerged from the spot Condor's motorcycle had once been. Fuuka was right - the motorcycle's true nature was a Persona!

That was the last of Black Condor Shinji ever saw before he and the party were teleported away by Fuuka's power….

* * *

(**Author's Note:** I'm sorry. This chapter is pretty much a massive info dump as well as fighting; I'm sorry if you're all confused. ^^V The next chapter is Junpei's past... In addition, I think I'll list down all the major mysteries and plot points so we won't get too lost. Seriously, even I, the author, am having a tough time keeping up with the facts sometimes. ^^V Please review! And point out any mistakes! Thanks!)


	15. Tension

Time and Date Unknown  
Paulownia Mall

_Junpei(?) restlessly walks around the mall, which is almost completely devoid of people. Most of the shops have closed… for the night, it seems._

_He sighs, and adjusts his cap before plopping down heavily on one of the benches next to the center fountain. "Stupid old man," he mutters angrily to himself aloud as he hunches over. "How low do you have to be to get drunk on cooking wine…?"_

_As he broods, a very familiar white dog wanders close by, and stops when it spots Junpei. But the young man doesn't notice the dog right away; he keeps his eyes trained on the marble floor – he is too caught up in his problems to care. "But I guess it's just as pathetic to rush out like this every day…."_

_He sighs again, his unhappiness more pronounced. "Maaan… What am I gonna do? I got nowhere to go…." He finally glances around and spots the dog. "Yo… S'up, pooch? Here to join my 'Nowhere to Go' after-school club?"_

_Koromaru(?) trots up to Junpei and plops down next to his feet. "Arf arf!" He stares up at Junpei as if expecting something. "Heheh… Sorry, pooch, I don't got any food for ya," Junpei apologizes, then suddenly laughs as he realizes he's having a 'conversation' with a dog. "Y'know… haven't I seen you around before…?"_

_As he continues to 'chat' with the albino pooch, two teenage boys around Junpei's age happen by. One of them stops in his tracks and notices Junpei, immediately recognizing him. "Hey, it's Junpei." Junpei looks up. "Huh…? Oh, hey guys," he greeted somewhat stiffly. Fumi and Tendo were his friends last year, sure, but ever since Junpei entered his second year they'd quickly lost contact with each other. Junpei wasn't entirely sure if they were really his friends or not._

_Tendo snickered, "Why the long face? Are you that sad we're in different homerooms now?"_

_Junpei shook his head – the reason why they were in different homerooms now was because Junpei had put in an extra effort in his studies last year, so as a result, he was placed in a higher section... but until now, Junpei couldn't figure out why he studied so hard that time. He wasn't doing it because he wanted to; he wasn't doing it for his friends and he sure as hell wasn't doing it for his dad, who barely noticed his son's achievements._

_"Still dumb as rocks, huh?" Junpei said dryly. "Wait isn't it past your dorm curfew?" Yet another reason why Junpei wanted to avoid them - he didn't think he could live with the jealousy he felt whenever he crossed paths with students living in dorms._

_"Oh, we snuck out." Tendo shrugged. Fumi had his head down, and he didn't seem to be following the conversation all that much. Tendo explained, "When you get to be a junior, you learn the secret exit. Hey…." He snapped his fingers, his face lighting up with sudden inspiration. "We're going to Escapade, wanna come with? We're helping this guy –" he nudged Fumi in the ribs "—drown his sorrows over a girl."_

_"That's not true!" Fumi denied vehemently. Tendo just laughed at him. "Heheh, don't let it get to you. That's what you get for going after a girl like Yukari Takeba. You should've tried your luck with that transfer student instead. Hey! That reminds me – Junpei, aren't you friendly with the new girl? Are the rumors about her true?"_

_"What rumors?" Junpei had never heard of this before._

_"You really don't know? Well, they say that both her parents died when she was little. Somebody got a peek at her file when Toriumi left it lying around; pretty dark, huh?"_

_"Dark…? She seems like a regular girl to me. Besides, stuff like that only happens in soap operas. Man, you're so gullible…."_

_"Jeez, I said it was a rumor, didn't I? Anyways, are you coming? You snooze, no booze!"_

_"Booze?" It took Junpei exactly six seconds to recover from hearing that dreaded word. "Oh, uh… I think I'm gonna pass," he said._

_"Huh? What's the matter? C'mon, why don'tcha live a little –"_

_"I said I'm gonna pass!" Junpei half-shouted. He took a few deep breaths before saying in a much calmer voice, "I just… ain't in the mood."_

_Tendo shrugged, seemingly oblivious to the turmoil Junpei was going through. He turned to his buddy and said, "Well, man, looks like I'm the only one you got to console you."_

_The pair walked off towards the club. "I keep telling you, nothing happened!" Junpei heard Fumi protest._

_Junpei watched them saunter inside Escapade before sinking deeper into the bench. "Heh... They offered to hang out, and I turned 'em down... Things never go the way I want 'em to." He sighed, dejected. __"Man... Is my life really as bad as it seems now...? __I wish there was like... something I could do to change the world... __Like some awesome skill that no one else has."_

_The albino dog inched closer, whimpering softly._

_"Haha, don't gimme that. __I'm sure someday... we can make some real friends that'll listen to us."_

* * *

The images of Junpei, the dog and the near-empty interior of Paulownia Mall brightened and then faded away before Shinji's eyes, and he blinked several times. The lowest level of Antenora materialized, shimmered for a second or two, than solidified around him.

Even though he was still a little disoriented, he could still hear Junpei's half-hearted, dry joke: "Heh... All the scenes in my past, and you guys had to see that one..."

"Junpei..." Without thinking, Yukari took a single step towards the teen.

Completely unaware of the choking awkwardness of the moment, Koromaru trotted up to Junpei and barked once. _What a coincedence!_

Shinji blinked. There it was again! It was as if he could hear what Koromaru was "saying"...

Junpei smiled, chuckled, and laughed right out loud. "Dude, I know! I was surprised to see you, too! So, you were the dog from that day!"

_It's a small world after all, _Koromaru yipped his response.

"Actually, it makes it seem kinda like... destiny," Junpei said thoughtfully. "Looking back, that was the day Akihiko-san found me. The only place I could go from there was the convenience store, and that's where I was when the Dark Hour hit..."

"You were bawling in the dark with that awful expression. Honestly? You looked worse than the Shadows," Akihiko teased unexpectedly, his expression light and playful in contrast to the severe frown he seemed to wear ever since the entire ordeal started.

"W-well what was I supposed to do? That was the scariest damn moment of my life, man!" Junpei objected, trying to defend himself.

Shinji heard a smothered giggle from somewhere on his right. He looked and saw Fuuka covering her mouth with both hands, trying her very best to keep from bursting out laughing. Seeing her mirth tickled something inside Shinjiro; within seconds he was guffawing alongside everyone else at Junpei. The baseball hat wearing teen looked offended - with his arms crossed and his lips in a pout - but at the same time he looked pleased. Did he perhaps do this on purpose just to break the walls of ice that had unsuspectingly erected between each member?

Whether it was intended or not, when the laughter finally calmed down Shinjiro felt much lighter than before, like some of the weight he'd been carrying (figuratively speaking) on his back had been lifted. He glanced around at the others, saw their happy and relaxed faces, and thought to himself that perhaps they felt the same way.

* * *

**"**Hey, Shinji, stay here for a minute." Akihiko called out to his best friend, walking quickly.

"Huh?"

Akihiko grabbed Shinji's arm, catching him off guard, and flung him around. "I said, _stay here for a minute!_" he growled furiously.

Luckily, only Mitsuru remained; the other SEES members had already teleported off. The Kirijo heiress frowned and opened her mouth to say something to Akihiko, but stopped when Shinji gave her a look. He waited until Mitsuru used the Access Point (albeit reluctantly) to warp back to the Desert of Doors before turning back to face the boxer. "…Yeah?"

"I'd like to talk to you." Akihiko's voice had dropped back down to something mild, but Shinji wasn't fooled in the least. He knew him as well as the back of his own hand, after all.

"Did something happen? You look pissed."

"And you just can't imagine why, can you?"

The two teens squared off.

"I'd like you to know that I've done everything I could to make you feel welcome to SEES group after all this time," Akihiko stated. Shinji did not understand what the boxer was trying to prove. "Yes, that's true," he replied carefully. "In fact, I'm happy at the dorm."

"You and I both know that I hate people who backstab their friends. But obviously, your old pals from _Strega _did things differently!" Akihiko continued, the words "old pals" and "Strega" coming out with a sneer.

"What the _fuck _are you talking about?"

"_Don't play dumb! _It's another thing you do that drives me crazy!"

Shinjiro shook his head and started to head for the Access Point again. "Listen, _buddy_, I don't have time to listen to your ramblings. I've got work to do!" "Yeah!" Akihiko shouted as he stomped close behind. "Work that I helped you get! With a power that you got from _her_!"

"Is _that _what's eating you?" Shinjiro didn't even look over his shoulder; he was getting sick of Akihiko's obvious jealousy. "I already told you, _I have no fucking idea _how I got this power, and I sure as hell didn't ask for it! And I already _thanked _you for helping me get back into SEES!"

"Sure, you _thanked me_… with _words_! But with _actions_, you started _screwing around_…" Akihiko took a deep breath and bellowed:

"…and you _stole her away from me_!"

Shinji stopped dead in his tracks and whirled around to stare at the boxer in shock.

Akihiko charged on, "We could've had a fair fight! First, you go and put on this _martyr _act and then you do a complete 180 and act like a coward!"

"H-hold on," Shinji started, holding up both hands. He was still reeling from the accusation hurled at him straight from left field. "You've got the wrong idea, Aki. She and I… we're just friends!" Yet, at the moment he said this, his heart wrenched; torn between his best friend and the woman he coveted.

"Oh, fiiiine," Akihiko said sarcastically, "So you're a _liar_, too!"

"_Shut the hell up!_" Shinji could only take so much, after all. "You've crossed the line. Think whatever you want!" Shaking his head, he walked up to the Access Point and was about to touch it when Akihiko growled, "You could at least apologize, you bastard! I expected that at least!"

"You want the truth? Fine!" Shinji bellowed over his shoulder at the shadow boxer. "In the beginning, I didn't care about her one bit. Then I got to know her, and I liked her."

"In short, you were in love with her!" Akihiko blurted out angrily.

"_In short_," Shinji seethed, "I came to respect her. She's an exceptional fighter, and a real leader… the kind that never leaves anyone behind."

If possible, Shinji's glare grew colder. "It's just a shame that her _boyfriend's so fucking childish!"_

Akihiko reached Shinji in exactly two strides, grabbed him by the shoulder and slugged him.

* * *

"Fuuka-san, are you feeling alright?" Aigis asked the group operator, worried.

"Huh?"

"You've been staring at your laptop screen for exactly thirty-three minutes."

Fuuka blinked, suddenly feeling weary, and offered a small smile at the robot. "I'm fine - there's nothing wrong. Thank you for worrying, Aigis." Then the girl turned back to her laptop to finish her work... which she had yet to begin.

She'd opened her laptop, intent on copying down the information she picked up from her research, but hadn't typed down a single letter. She couldn't concentrate when the tension in the air was so thick, it choked her.

Ever since her fight with Gekkoukan's golden boy, Yukari had been silent, almost morose, not talking to anyone in the dorm. Instead she'd kept herself busy by readjusting the string of her bow every few minutes, or checking her currently useless cellphone, or staring out the window at the frozen nighttime landscape outside. Fuuka tried getting her to talk to her, to open up to her, but with little luck. The only times Yukari bothered to speak was whenever Shinji asked her to replace someone on the investigation team – with a soft but firm "no".

Ken, obviously worried about his all time favorite hero, stayed by Red Hawk's side as much as possible, only leaving for a few minutes to eat something or use the bathroom.

Junpei, the group's only source of comic relief in these difficult times was now sitting at the counter all by himself, lost in whatever thoughts his past had provoked in him. Without his usual easy going behavior and good cheer, the dorm felt colder and rather empty, the atmosphere even more suffocating.

The worst was probably how her two sempai, Shinjiro and Akihiko, had begun giving each other the cold shoulder.

Now the only people Fuuka could really talk to were Mitsuru and Aigis, but even Mitsuru was holding something back. If she had any opinions about the rest of the members she was keeping it to herself. Meanwhile, Aigis - despite her newfound discovery of emotions - was not exactly the best person to talk to about the complicated situation the Squad was in, being a robot.

But right now Aigis was the only one who seemed willing enough to listen, so Fuuka turned off her laptop, setting aside notes she has yet to copy down, and turned her full attention back to Aigis.

"Actually, Aigis, something is wrong. Something is very, very wrong."

"Fuuka-san?"

"Our strength lies in being united, in being a group... and we've always known that. But now something is tearing us apart."

* * *

Author's Note: No FREE TIME for this chapter! And I'm terribly sorry for not updating for so many MONTHS! College caught up with me, and I couldn't find any time to get around to writing this... Arrgh! But don't worry - I'm not abandoning this story! I'm going to see it through until the end! So please bear with me, and to all of my faithful readers out there... once again, I'm really sorry!


	16. Only Three Doors Left to Go!

A/N: I don't own Persona 3... but, I do have a copy of the FES game for PS2. Hey, did you know? I wrote this fanfic, but I never played P3 Portable myself.

I'm finally back with this brand new chapter! Ugh, I have ZERO motivation to write out the other "look into the past" parts. I want to skip right to the battle for the keys already...I mean, c'mon, I'm pretty sure the people who read this story have already played The Answer or watched the video walkthroughs or something. Right?

So, the countdown has begun! Now for a new mystery for you to figure out: whose past do you think will be found at the end of Empyrean? In the original The Answer, it was Aigis' past that the group found at the very bottom of the Abyss, which explained everything that has happened to them so far. In this story, will it be Aigis' past again? Or someone else's? Heheheh...

I've read all of my reviews! You guys are getting closer to the truth behind Red Hawk's and Black Condor's true identity! A few people are half correct already! Let's see if someone can figure it out before the big reveal, which is about 9 chapters away. ^^ You can do it! Just think outside the box and go over all of the clues I've dropped ^^

Oh, yeah, if you'd like you can go to my profile and answer the poll I put up! :P The question is "who do you think Shinjiro will team up with in the tournament for the keys?". You're answers are interesting. You don't actually need to, though... :P

* * *

GLOSSARY:

**Persona: **Is physical embodiment of the strength of a person's heart and the power to summon it to your aid. Our heroes use Personas to kick some Shadow ass.

**Shadows:** Strange creatures that prey on people's minds. Tartarus was infested with them, and none have been sighted since it was destroyed. Now they're back and stronger than before.

**The Dark Hour:** An unnatural phenomenon caused by an experiment the Kirijo Group carried out years before. Every night, an extra hour would occur between 12:00 and 12:01. Only people with a certain amount of awareness could experience it, while other humans would transform into coffin shaped-objects, through a process called Transmogrification.

**Tartarus: **A frightful tower that appeared exclusively during the Dark Hour, AKA the Tower of Demise, it existed to bring the being known as Nyx into the world. Tartarus suppossedly vanished along with the Dark Hour when Nyx was defeated….

**SEES:** Acronym for "Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad". A school club that was formed to fight Shadows.

**Nyx:** Essentially, "the embodiment of Death". Nyx's sole purpose was to bring about The Fall, which would mean the extinction of all living things… but the disaster was prevented by the Main Character.

"**Her": **The leader of SEES. She fell into a deep coma shortly after the events of the P3P Female storyline. Currently, she is trapped in her room (still in a comatose state) and the other members of SEES are trying to find a way to get to her.

**Suppressants: **Powerful drugs administered to help one control his or her Persona. Shinjiro was taking these pills at one point, and at the cost of his life….

**Phoenix Ranger Featherman R: **A popular TV program that airs twice every Sunday.

**Logbook #3, page 66: **One of the important documents Mitsuru found. It details the initial investigation of the Abyss of Time. It implies that the Abyss may have come into being around the same time Tartarus was formed.

**Logbook #5, page 133: **One of the important documents Mitsuru found. It mentions that around the time the logbook entry was written, there were no Shadows within the Abyss.

**Scientist's Diary: **A diary Mitsuru found. It was written by "Mrs. Amida Katsuragi". This scientist admits in her diary that she and her husband were working with Eiichiro Takeba and other scientists to create the "accident" that would halt the experiment. The diary mentions a son.

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Dorm Lounge

If the remaining number of Doors in the Desert were any indication, the team had already passed the halfway point in their ordeal; the countdown to the final Door had finally begun.

Meanwhile, the tense atmosphere present in the dorm was thickening.

Red Hawk was sitting up straight on the couch, both feet on the floor. He was adjusting his Featherman gear with seriousness when Yukari found him. Much time had passed since she first met the superhero; she was no longer wary of him - she now trusted him - and despite the fact that his face resembled Akihiko's, Yukari felt she could look past that at the man within. So she set down the bottle of pills and the glass of water on the floor near his feet and sat down next to him. "Hawk-san, should you really be moving around as much as this right now? You aren't fully recovered yet." The concern in her voice was real.

"On the contrary, Takeba-san; I need to rejoin the investigation as soon as possible," Hawk replied, looking straight at her with his mysterious golden eyes. "I have a duty - a promise - to fulfill; to you, to Sensei and of course to the other members of the Squad." Yukari met his gaze and saw the honesty in his eyes; was there really a time when she distrusted him? It seemed months ago.

"Thank you for worrying, Takeba-san." Red Hawk stopped tending to his gear for a moment to take his medicine.

Yukari glanced at his Featherman helmet, which was resting on the couch in between her and the Ranger. "You... aren't going to wear your helmet?"

"Hm, I will, but later." He handed her the now empty glass grinned at her. "It's been so long since I've gone without my helmet for such a huge amount of time, and in front of people, too. Condor always lectured me on keeping my identity hidden every time he caught me without my helmet on. I obeyed him because... for one, it hurt to see my own face even though I'm happy with it. Plus, the Phoenix Rangers have a code of honor. But it's also really exhilarating to reveal it to others."

"How is it exhilarating?"

"Well... you know how people have hidden sides to themselves, another side to them that they wish to show to everyone but they don't for fear of being rejected?" Red Hawk suddenly set down his gear, stood up from the couch and stretched. "I don't like hiding myself in the dark like that," he continued, looking down at Yukari. "As much as possible, I want everyone to see me, the real me, even when I fall and make mistakes. Even when I'm at my lowest. Don't you want to do the same? Living day to day, never hiding anything?"

Yukari stared up at the Featherman, confused. She couldn't understand his words. He tended to talk about deep, incomprehensible topics at times, which was disconcerting. This was one of those times. In Yukari's opinion, Red Hawk could be more of an enigma than his "older brother" when he wanted to.

As she tried to think of a proper response, Shinjiro walked in just in time. "Feeling better already?" He asked Hawk as he dropped heavily into the armchair. Hawk sat back down again as well. "Yes, and I'd like to rejoin the investigation team immediately," replied the superhero, getting right down to business.

"...If you think you're up to the task, then I sure as hell won't stop you."

"Thank you very much!"

"But don't forget; even though you're back on the team I don't want you pushing yourself too hard to make up for lost time, got it?"

Red Hawk couldn't hide his surprised facial expression. "H-how did you know-?"

Shinji just shrugged. "It's this feeling I have. Just don't overdo it, alright?"

"Understood, Sensei! I will definitely try my best to not overwork myself while supporting you during the exploration of the Abyss!"

Shinji wasn't reassured. If possible, his already stern face grew even more ominous. "Red Hawk, I'm serious here. If you so much as stumble while the investigation's going on I'm putting you back on the bench. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes!"

Yukari closely watched the animated exchange between the gruff Shinjiro and the overly zealous Red Hawk and giggled. Red Hawk dealt with the other members of SEES mostly with pure logic and reason (the keyword being _mostly_), but when Shinjiro was involved his behavior became somewhat like that of an excited little boy. Her tough sempai, in turn, treated Red Hawk like a baby brother that constantly needed watching over; there were times when he acted rather protective as well. In fact, they were both extremely protective of each other, Yukari realized. Especially in Red Hawk's case. Red Hawk was always trying his best to keep everyone safe while they explored the Abyss, and he always tried to supply the group with whatever information he had on the Abyss and the Shadows within, although it became apparent that the deeper they probed, the less he understood what was going on. But despite his efforts to treat everyone equally, the SEES members still noticed that Shinjiro was Red Hawk's priority.

Now that she trusted him, she could admit that she was very worried about him when he was abruptly put out of commission for a short while. She, along with Ken, Fuuka and Junpei, had volunteered to look after him while he slept and to help him drink his... medication... Yukari did it because she wanted to. She could see how hard he was trying to make the situation better, and it made her want to do her best, too.

Black Condor, on the other hand...

Yukari was no longer paying attention to Shinjiro's and Red Hawk's lively conversation; instead she was contemplating Hawk's shadowy counterpart.

Black Condor claimed that he wanted to "restore balance". He claimed that everything he did was for their sake, although his primary goal was to kill their leader, _her_. He took Aigis' Key of Time by force, and then he returned it to them without a fight. He's trying to kill them all, but he also keeps trapping Shinji and questioning his motives. Plus, he saved her from the Reaper.

Maybe Red Hawk was right; maybe Black Condor was not a bad guy after all. If that was the case, then what is he really trying to accomplish? His actions conflicted with his claims, and it was making her head hurt.

Yukari replayed the moment Condor saved her in her mind's eye again and again. She was sprawled out on the floor, helpless... she could feel heat surrounding her, threatening to engulf her... Condor swoops in from out of nowhere, picks her up and jumps away just as the Ragnarok explodes. He sets her down on her feet next to Shinjiro and the others, she peers into his masked face, through the dark visor, where his eyes were supposed to be -

She shakes her head. She wasn't even able to see his eyes; the visor was too dark. Yukari couldn't help but wonder how he looked like under the helmet. Would he, like his "younger brother", resemble Akihiko? Or something completely different? Were they even blood-related to begin with? The list of questions could go on and on...

"There you are, Yukari-chan!" Fuuka exclaimed as she entered the lounge.

"Oh, did you need me for something, Fuuka?" Yukari asked the girl, standing up from the couch.

"Um-! could you come with me to the Command Room, Yukari-chan? I just need to return these files to the Chairman's...I mean, Ikutsuki's room."

Normally, Yukari would try to convince her friend to go alone, saying that there's nothing to worry about because it was the just the Chairman's room, and that their dorm was the safest place in Iwatodai. But nowadays she didn't think she could work up the nerve to step inside the room of that infernal traitor alone; Fuuka's request was understandable. "Sure thing, Fuuka. Is that all there is to return...?" she asked, gesturing towards the small and neat stack of papers in Fuuka's thin arms.

"Yup. This is all I need to return. but, it will take awhile for me to put each one back in their proper place... thanks for doing this, Yukari-chan!"

"No problem." Yukari smiled and followed her up the stairs.

_The circumstances surrounding Red Hawk's and Black Condor's "arrival" in the Abyss were strange to begin with, Y_ukari thought to herself, slipping back into her earlier thought process. _Red Hawk says he just woke up inside the Abyss one day, ten years ago. He also claims that his brother, Condor, appeared the same way not too long ago. How did that happen? Then there's Red Hawk's unfailing loyalty to Shinjiro-sempai, and Black Condor's open hostility to us, but it seems directed at sempai himself..._

* * *

"Yukari-chan, is there something wrong? You're so quiet today," Fuuka asked. Both girls were sitting on the floor of Shuji Ikutski's private room and office, reorganizing the contents of the file cabinets. "If something's bothering you, maybe it would make you feel better if you talked about it?"Yukari looked up.

"Fuuka, what do you think of Black Condor?" Said the girl without thinking it through.

"Um, I believe Red hawk-san when he says that his brother is not our enemy," Fuuka explained as honestly as she could. "And besides, he saved you from the Reaper, didn't he? Just like his brother, Black Condor doesn't truly want anyone to get hurt."

"So why did he ambush us in the beginning? Why did he put us through that hell, taking Aigis's key like that and threatening to kill us all if we tried to stop him from killing _her_?"

"I don't know, Yukari-chan," Fuuka replied. "He said so many things to us in the beginning, and at the time I really felt like he was our enemy." she shrugged helplessly. "But now... now, I'm not so sure. I don't know what to think anymore. I'm just hoping that, once we get to the deepest part of the Abyss everything will make sense."

Silence fell between the two girls. For a few moments, all that could be heard was the crinkling sounds of paper.

And then Fuuka broke the silence. "Yukari-chan?"

"Hm?"

"Do you think Red Hawk... is lying to us about having amnesia?"

Yukari blinked at her friend, startled. "What makes you say that?"

"...Yukari-chan, although you don't voice them aloud, you always question Red Hawk's actions and statements. Do you doubt him?" Fuuka probed.

Now, how was Yukari going to answer that one? She decided to just go with whatever her feelings were. "I want to trust Red Hawk, I really want to. Because I can see that, despite how little information about himself he reveals, I can see that he's doing his best to help us and protect us," Yuakri said slowly. "Ever since the beginning of the investigation of the Abyss he's kept his word - he's doing his best to be our guide. I don't have a reason to doubt him. Besides..." she trailed off.

"Besides...?"

"Um, I don't think this is the right way to put it, but whenever he speaks I feel embarrassed."

"Huh?" Fuuka paused in place to look at her friend.

Yukari shrugged. "It's like...ugh, how do I put this? It's like I'm hearing and seeing things that I shouldn't. Something personal. Like he's exposing his deepest secrets to us, and it makes me uncomfortable. So, since he always reveals his true intentions from the start, without a second thought, it makes me think that he's a trustworthy and sincere person."

The other girl blinked. Yukari laughed awkwardly. "Er, sorry, I don't think it came out right..."

The bow-wielder was struck by a sudden thought: what if Red Hawk's "sincerity" was all an act? Like what Ikutsuki did to everyone last year... were they all in danger of being betrayed again? And then Yukari remembered Black Condor's warning:

_How much do you trust Red Hawk? Do you honestly believe he is a trustworthy guide for you and your friends? Red Hawk has definitely been around much longer than I have. But he operates solely on his desires. Every move he makes is in accordance only to what he wants, regardless of the consequences - even if what he wants isn't __right_.

But then, that didn't explain Red Hawk's devotion towards his sibling.

Red Hawk always acted on his own desires. Black Condor is obsessed with doing what's right.

...And at the center of this Red Hawk/Black Condor corundum was Shinjiro himself. He seemed to be the object of their plans.

Yukari didn't realize it, but she was getting close to the root of the Featherman mystery, even though she didn't mean to.

* * *

**FREE TIME**

(You regain control of Shinjiro. You approach Red Hawk, who stands near the entrance to the Desert just like he did before he was put out of commission.)

Red Hawk: Yamagishi-san and Kirijo-san both informed me of the recent developments, and I think I am starting to understand how the Doors at the bottom of each area work. There is a reason we see what we see inside the Doors - Doors that have fulfilled their roles vanish, and those with roles still to play remain... We still don't know the reason, but if we keep moving forward we'll surely start to see it. Let's do our best, Sensei!

* * *

**Check status/equipment**  
Add to party  
Nothing

* * *

PLv54 Red Hawk  
HP:414/414  
SP:279/279  
Weapon: Kaiser Knuckles (At: 127 Hit: 97)  
Body: Tetra Jammer (Df: 74)  
Feet: Jet Boots (Ev: 58)  
Persona: Testament, of the Hermit Arcana  
Skills: Dekaja, Garula, Fatal End, Tentarafoo, Gigantic Fist, Power Charge, Poison Arrow, and  
Martyr Soul (fictional passive skill that allows user to take a mortal blow for an ally)  
Next Skill to be Learned: Garudyne (at Level 58)  
Weaknesses: None  
Strong: None  
Nullify: None  
Reflect: None  
Absorb: None

* * *

Check status/equipment  
**Add to party**  
Nothing

* * *

Red Hawk: Understood!

(Mitsuru catches your attention.)

Mitsuru: We've seen yours and Akihiko's, Amada's, and now Iori's past. If I had to indentify a common thread, all of the scenes were set further in the past than last year's battles. What does this all mean...? Let me know if you figure anything out yourself. By the way, how is your health, Shinjiro? I couldn't help but notice that you haven't been coughing lately, and I'm glad. Just remember - if you feel you aren't up to the task of leading the investigation, inform me immediately. I am very worried about your health, and the possible side effects of the drugs...

* * *

Check status/equipment  
**Add to party**  
Nothing

* * *

Mitsuru: Understood. I'll try to meet your expectations.

(Fuuka has some troubling news for you...)

Fuuka: Is Red Hawk-san really okay enough to rejoin the investigation? Once in a while, he'll just start coughing all over again... he has his medication ready now, but... is the "medicine" really safe for him to take?

(Yukari seems to be the only member thinking of something entirely different.)

Yukari: Black Condor is a real, living contradiction. Don't you think so? Trying to kill us in one moment, saving us in the next... I wonder what his story is, and why he's so obssessed with doing "what's right". Well, yeah - he is a superhero. But I think his methods are a little too extreme. And didn't he say that Red Hawk only acts on his desires? Hm... this scenario sounds familiar somehow. It may be important, too.

* * *

I see...  
**Want to do some investigating of your own?**

* * *

Yukari: Sempai, that's a great idea! But... I don't even know where to start... Unlike Mitsuru-sempai and Fuuka, I don't even know what I'm looking for to begin with! Shinjiro-sempai, do you have any ideas?

* * *

**Try asking Fuuka for help.**  
Try checking the bookcases in the Command Room.  
Try checking the Chairman's old documents.

* * *

Yukari: That's no good, sempai. Fuuka's busy digging through Ikutsuki's records. and I can't ask Mitsuru-sempai because she's still helping Fuuka.

* * *

Try asking Fuuka for help.  
**Try checking the bookcases in the Command Room.**  
Try checking the Chairman's old documents.

* * *

Yukari: Well, that's a good place to start as any...

* * *

Check status/equipment  
**Add to party**  
Nothing

* * *

Yukari: If you say so, sempai.

(Did Junpei really recover from seeing his past? You decide to make sure.)

Junpei: Oh, hey Shinjiro-sempai. My dad's gotten better than he was back then, but he still falls off the wagon now and then... But, y'know... he's not dead, so I don't really have it as bad as everyone else. Don't worry about me, man. I mean, back then was nothing compared to the hot water I'm in right now. Yet another reason to put me, the great Junpei Iori, on your team! I'll pull you out of any jam, no matter how bad it gets! Especially if you're worried about fire attacks... Just call for good ol' Junpei the Fireman!

* * *

Check status/equipment  
Add to party  
**Nothing**

* * *

(Junpei seems to have regained some of his usual cheerfulness, so you leave him and speak to Ken next Ken seems to have been waiting for you...)

Ken: Shinjiro-san, if I may... I just wanted to confirm something. Could our Personas really just up and... vanish... like how Castor did? I already asked Yukari-san about it, but she didn't have any answers for me. Oh! It has nothing to do with our current situation, I was just curious. It's something I've wondered for a while now, ever since last year. I mean, wouldn't it be strange if someone with the natural potential could just lose it like you did?

* * *

**You're right, it's strange.**  
It's not strange at all.

* * *

Ken: Right? Oh, and ever since I joined, I just assumed that once you summon your Persona naturally for the first time, you'd have full control over it. If that's the case then why was it so difficult for you to control your Persona, Shinjiro-san? Why did you resort to using those drugs Strega gave you?

* * *

Check status/equipment  
Add to party  
**Nothing**

* * *

(Aigis has some important questions for you... you feel that you must think over your answers carefully...)

Aigis: Unlike me, other people usually have reasons to "awaken" to their potential. I comprehend. I had my reasons as well. However, in my case, it happened in reverse. As a robot, I had the power first, and gained a reason later. Which brings us to a matter I wish to address... Shinjiro-san, for what reasons did you "awaken" to your potential? I wish to know.

* * *

**For someone else's sake**  
For my own sake  
I don't know

* * *

Aigis: I comprehend. That is the most common reason for awakening, isn't it? For the sake of someone precious to you... I don't know the details of your past but from what I can gather from Fuuka-san, it was to save Akihiko-san's sister. Is that correct? But that reason is long gone now. So why do you still fight? Why are you here with us now, Shinjiro-san?

* * *

For someone else's sake  
**For my own sake**  
I don't know

* * *

Aigis: I comprehend. Then, whatever it is you are trying to accomplish, whatever it is you are searching for... I hope you find it.

* * *

Check status/equipment  
Add to party  
**Nothing**

* * *

(The atmosphere between you and Akihiko is still very tense. Nevertheless, he speaks to you in a civilized manner...)

Akihiko: ...Thinking back, it was one hell of a coincedence that I found Junpei when I did. If I hadn't been out that night on patrol, he might have never joined SEES. I know it sounds weird to hear this from me, but... it was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime chance.

* * *

**It did seem like there were an awful lot of coincidences that led to us all being together.  
**...Really?

* * *

Akihiko: ...Yeah.

* * *

Check status/equipment  
Add to party  
**Nothing**

* * *

(You head back to Aigis... is it possible to take back what you answered her earlier?)

Aigis: Shinjiro-san... Whatever it is you are trying to accomplish, whatever it is you are searching for... I hope you find it.

(It appears you can't. It looks like whatever you told Aigis here will greatly affect you in the future...)

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Ptolomea

Red Hawk was back in the team and better than ever - he dodged the enemies' attacks almost ninety percent of the time, Gale Slashing the enemies in quick succession and even finding time to heal his team members whenever Yukari was in a pinch. He missed an entire area worth of training and enemies; heck, he barely had time to warm up after spending much of his time sleeping; somehow he was at the same level as Shinji and the others, not missing a beat as he defeated the Shadows with stunning efficiency.

Both Mitsuru and Yukari were so shocked by Red Hawk's amazing comeback they never noticed their leader's turmoil.

_What's happening to me? _Shinji wondered anxiously to himself, gripping his axe tightly with both hands.

As usual, the team encounters the mysterious dark figure and chases it down, deeper into Ptolomea. As usual, the dark figure leads Shinjiro and his party members right into danger. They _almost_ cornered it on the 16th floor, but it managed to escape down to a lower level, to Shinji's irritation.

"It's that mysterious presence again... Could it have sort of purpose here?" Fuuka wondered. "Oh! The presence seems to be waiting below. Shinjiro-sempai, you may have to fight once you go down there. Please, be cautious!"

Shinjiro never really acknowledged it until Akihiko punched him across the face. _Seriously... that guy needed to remember that he had champion fists at his disposal, _was Shinjiro's thought process in the split second before the fist connected with his jaw. Shinji automatically braced himself for the pain...

Pain that never came.

Indeed, the force of Akihiko's punch caused the older teen to stagger back a few steps but that was it. There was no pain, not even in the aftermath of their "fight". Akihiko was the champion boxer - his fists were heavier than that of the average Joe's - still, nothing. Luckily, Akihiko himself didn't seem to sense that anything was wrong. After the fistfight, without another word, he'd used the Access Point and teleported off back to the dorm ahead of Shinji, leaving his childhood friend to sit where he was in a daze, carefully feeling the bruises that were supposed to ache.

Some time after that, Shinjiro realized other disturbing things about himself: he no longer felt sleepy or hungry. Despite this, he forced himself to close his eyes for a few minutes and even got himself something to eat afterwards. He needed as much energy as possible to investigate the Abyss of Time because he was, after all, the leader. He needed to take care of himself. Shinjiro never thought for a second that his condition could be anything but temporary.

Hell, he didn't know what the fuck was happening to him but he didn't want his teammates to worry about him when they already had more than enough troubles on their plate. But his strange condition never healed or went away with time...

"Heads up, sempai!" Yukari hollered from the other side of the room. Shinjiro cursed, barely diving away to the side just as the Neo Minotaur charged at him, fully intent on gouging him with its horns and missed. When it realized it had missed, it stopped in its tracks and reared back its head in an ear-splitting cry. "Shinjiro-sempai, look out! The Neo Minotaur is charging it's power... it will unleash a very powerful physical attack!" Fuuka cautioned.

"Just hurry up with that analysis, Fuuka!"

"Roger that!"

Whe the right moment finally came, Shinjiro lunged towards the Neo Minotaur from the side, swinging his weapon in a wide arc. It connected solidly against the Shadow's calf, causing it to stumble off balance - but it didn't go down.

"Well done, Shinjiro! You'e stunned it!" Mitsuru said. "It will need another minute to recharge its energy!"

"Take this!" Yukari released an arrow from her bow. It hit the Shadow dead center. "I got him!"

Mitsuru's Persona worked on analyzing the damage dealt. "Not quite. It seems piercing attacks don't do much damage to this one. We'll have to rely on Shinjiro's and Red Hawk's strike attacks!"

Suddenly, the Neo Minotaur got down on its haunches, causing Fuuka to gasp, "Shinjiro-sempai! It's about to unleash a physical attack!"

"Don't worry - I got it!" Shinjiro whipped out the item he had been saving in his pocket - an Attack Mirror. He concentrated on it, and in response it shattered in his palm. Each of the members seemed to be surrounded by a shimmering ball of energy. At that same moment the Neo Minotaur began to move with incredible speed, ramming itself into everything from the walls to the pillars. Shinjiro, Yukari, Mitsuru and Red Hawk were knocked right off their feet, but otherwise they were safe and unhurt.

"Red Hawk - go!"

Hawk was instantly on his feet. He summoned his Persona, Testament, and proceeded to smash the Shadow into the ground with a Gigantic Fist manifested from pure magic.

"Now's the time!" Red Hawk shouted triumphantly. "Let's bring him to justice!"

_"Get 'im!"_

Shinjiro and the rest of the party jumped on the Neo Minotaur and began whacking it relentlessly with their weapons. They were able to do some serious damage, but with an abrupt burst of razor-sharp wind energy the Shadow shook them off his body and lumbered to its feet.

"W-what the hell was that attack?! Fuuka!"

"The Neo Minotaur seems to know a high level Garu skill! You'll have to somehow disable that skill to get close!"

"Shit!" Shinjiro made a signal to the others, and they all switched to a different kind of formation. "Yukari, we need you help!"

"Isis!" The beautiful Persona flapped her wings, stirring up a soft breeze that healed the cuts on their bodies and arms.

For the second time, the Neo Minotaur got down on his haunches to Power Charge for another physical attack. Shinjiro saw this and was about to use another Attack Mirror when he heard Red Hawk yell, "It's okay, Sensei! Leave this to me!" "Are you an idiot?!" Shinji yelled back, but Red Hawk was already running towards the crouching Shadow. "W-what is he _doing?!_" Yukari cried in horror.

Red Hawk lunged at the Shadow just as it unleashed its special move - Akasha Arts.

* * *

Date Unknown  
Midnight  
Tartarus(?), 1st Floor

_Seven people walk into the Tower of Demise. Four of them wear special red armbands to indicate their status as special bodyguards. They immediately spread out in a protective box formation around a man in a white lab coat, a little girl with red hair and Takeharu Kirijo._

_"So this is the interior of Tartarus...It's only the second time anyone has been here without special equipment," one of the guards quipped. He tries hs best to sound nonchalant, but just like the other guards, he is very tense with anticipation for an attack. In a bodyguard gig that deals with the supernatural, anything could happen. He, as well as the other three guards, received special training for this._

_However, nobody notices the youngest-looking guard wincing in pain..._

_The man in the white lab coat chuckles creepily. "Normal weaponry is useless against Shadows. Any equipment we brought would be for your peace of mind. Everyone here has had their "potential" developed in our labs... That should suffice to protect us. And even if you're devoured, that in itself would be valuable data for us. Hahahah..." The guard who spoke first groaned aloud, "Ugh... Is anyone left in the Ergo Division who isn't a psycho?" after a minute, a thought occured to him, and he turned to his superior. "In any case, Sir... Are you all right with this? I mean... bringing your daughter..."_

_"I don't mind at all. I myself requested to come along," The little girl, Mitsuru, replied shortly._

_Takeharu didn't even turn around. "...You heard her."_

_"...I see. I'm sorry to have spoken out of turn, sir." The guard could plainly see that Takeharu was not in the mood for polite conversation. As a matter of fact, these days he barely seemed to smile at all. What had happened to the happy and confident young man who took over the Kirijo family and Kirijo Electronics?_

_"...Uuhgh."_

_"Hey, what's wrong?" He finally noticed that the youngest member of their team was in pain. He was frantically cutching his hea with both hands. The guard stepped forward, intending to help, but something in his gut told him to stop. His senses were picking up danger._

_"...Arrgh...AAAaaagh! **GAAAaaah!"**_

_Everyone else whirled around in surprise to look just as a disgusting, eerie darkness enveloped the man. He seemed to be swallowed by it completely. In the next moment, the guard was gone, and in his place was a small Shadow._

_"W-what the-?!"_

_Pandemonium broke out on the first floor. Mitsuru just stared at the creature, her mouth open in shock. "So that's... a Shadow..." Only the scientist didn't seem too affcted by the fact that someone was just devoured by a Shadow. "Looks like it's back to the drawing board for the artificial development of "potential"...!"_

_The remaining three guards immediately stepped in front of the father and daughter pair. "Sir, Miss, step aside!"_

_They began shooting the Shadow, but of course it had no effect..._

_"You little-!"_

_The Shadow advanced easily and knocked the closest guard aside with its black tendrils. The unfortunate guard went down for the count, leaving Takeharu Kirijo and his daughter defenseless...! Takeharu automatically placed himself in harm's way to protect his daughter as the Shadow inched closer and closer._

_"Sir! Miss!"_

_"Father!" To everyone's shock, the little girl ran out from behind her father's protective stance ad placed herself i front of him just as the Shadow lunged._

_"Gah! Mitsuru!" Takeharu gasped in terror, the first real emotion he ever expressed that night._

_Mitsuru clenched her fists and stared the attacking Shadow down head-on with unshakeable focus. Then there was a this strong gust of chilly air, like a blizzard was blowing into the room, and the Shadow became trapped in a stalagmite of ice. Mitsuru exhaled, and he stalagmite shattered, ripping the trapped Shadow to shreds. With an angry squeak, it vanshed, defeated, and the frea blizzard stopped just as quickly as it began._

_Mitsuru slumped to the floor, greatly fatigued from wha she had done. Her father caught her in his arms and held her as if h were afraid she would fade away. The scientist ran up to the girl once he was sure the danger had passed. He was estatic. "Did you se that?! Such power...! It's a Persona! I was right! Persona-users do exist!"_

_"Mitsuru, are you alright?!" Takeharu asked his precious little girl. She opened her bleary eyes to look at him. "Father... I'm glad you're safe..."_

_The scientist was still rambling. "That was wonderful, Lady Mitsuru! A beautiful expression of your natural potential! At last, our future seems bright!" "Why are you so happy about it?!" Takeharu snapped, effectively shutting up the scientist. "Now... Mitsuru can never escape from the destiny of atonement... She'll spend her life bound to our cursed legacy, when she should be finding her own way. What's so bright about that...?"_

_"Don't worry, Father... I chose this for myself... I'll protect you... Father..."_

_"Mitsuru..."_

* * *

A/N:Good news, guys! Now that I've fixed my schedule at college, I can finally get back up to speed with the updates! You can expect a new chapter in a few days, so stay tuned! :) Thanks again for the support guys, i appreciate it! And don't forget to leave a review and tell me if my writing is getting rusty, or if there's a typo, so I can go back and fix this chapter!


	17. The Seventeenth Chapter

A/N: I don't own Persona 3, Atlus does and blah, blah, blah.

**WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SCENES DEPICTING SELF-HARM, IT MAY EVEN BE OUT-OF-CHARACTER. IF IT IS, LET ME KNOW, AND I'LL EDIT IT OUT.**

As usual, review and let me know if I need to correct anything! Or let me know your thoughts on the story! :)

This chapter is... a filler.

* * *

**"In the end, I wasn't able to protect Father as I promised.**

**And it's more than that... I feel as though I let one of my very reasons for living slip away...**

**But I do still have something precious to live for.**

**I will hold true to my vow this time... no matter what."**

-Mitsuru Kirijo, from _Persona 3 FES: "The Answer"_

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Abyss of Time  
Ptolomea, Lowest Floor

Another vision of the past. This was the fifth one they saw.

Visions of the past that were as equally painful as the last.

Visions of the past that nobody wanted to show anyone else.

Indeed, this was the fifth Door they opened - another memory that was buried just beneath the suface of consciousness, but was dredged out in the open to be rewatched and analyzed. How could the Squad continue on investigating the Abyss of Time like this, knowing that the memory of the lowest point of their lives were slowly and methodically being brought to light?

Mitsuru's vision was getting blurry. She didn't want to make a pitiful scene in front of her friends, so she stood perfectly still and defiantly blinked back the moisture gathering in the corners of her eyes. At the same time, the redhead reasoned to herself that her beloved father was already dead, that the vision they just saw was just that - a vision.

Another vision of the past. This was the fifth one they saw. All of those visions were just as painful to watch as the last.

Mitsuru knew that Shinjiro was already doing his best as the field leader, so she in turn tried to stay strong as the investigation of the Abyss continued. She was the president of the club, and one of the three founders. She had to stay strong for her teammates, especially in times like these.

And also-

Mitsuru had pride as a strong, independent lady. The heiress to the powerful Kirijo Family.

Her mind was as sharp as ever - it accepted this reasoning without resistance.

So then, why did she feel like she was she on the verge of bawling?

Yukari was the first one to break the stiff silence that had fallen over the group. "W-was that sempai's...?"

"...Hm? O-oh, yes..." Mitsuru replied to Yukari's innocent inquiry, keeping he voice as even as she could. She was successful in stopping her tears but she was still prone to breaking down at any moment.

"Sempai, what's the matter?"

Yukari's innocent question was like a cannon ball that plowed right through her glass defenses. Mitsuru shook her head and tried to shrug off those dark, heavy feelings as everyone stared at her. "Ah, well, I'm sorry, it's just that... seeing father again before my eyes, as if he were still alive was..." She trailed off, unintentionally revealing her true feelings.

"Sempai..."

With the exception of Shinjiro and Red Hawk, everyone present still remembered with painful clarity that terrible night Mitsuru's father was killed. That was also the night of Ikutsuki's ultimate betrayal. They remembered Ikutsuki falling off the tower to his death, and the way Mitsuru clutched Takeharu Kirijo's lifeless close to her, wailing "father" over and over in anguish.

Mitsuru wasn't the only one reeling from shock to see the older man "alive" again, even if it were only a vision.

There was a moment of heavy silence. The tension was gone, and in its place was sadness. For the first time in what seemed like forever, the members of SEES were all in perfect accord, all of them mourning over the loss of Mitsuru's father. In the short time they've known him, he'd easily won their respect as someone who truly wished to atone for the past and protect the future generation.

"...Aww, but wasn't Mitsuru-sempai really cute when she was little?" Junpei suddenly teased, his joke slicing through the melancholy atmosphere like a sword in water.

It was Mitsuru herself, surprisingly, who was the first to recover - for the moodwhiplash was exactly what she needed to regain her wits. "Excuse me, Iori? Are you saying that's no longer the case?"

Junpei sputtered frantically. "Uhhh, n-no... That's not what I- C'mon, you got it all wrong!"

Everyone burst into laughter, particularly at Junpei's flushed face and Mitsuru's triumphant smile. Just like that, some of the melancholy had lifted a little.

When the laughter died down, Red Hawk decided that now was the right moment to voice his thoughts aloud. "Of the past events we've seen up to this point... The first one seemed to be about getting ready for battle, but the others... How should I put it... It feels like there's some aspect they all have in common. Don't you all think so?"

Mitsuru couldn't help but note how confident Red Hawk was slowly becoming. In the past, he needed Shinji's prodding in order to muster up enough courage to tell them his observations, and he had this slightly irritating habit of trailing off, forcing Shinjiro to come to his rescue _again _by finishing his sentences for him. But now he spoke without a nudge, and spoke straight to the point. "Yes... But for now, we don't know what that might be," Mitsuru agreed. "This is the fifth door... We should be getting closer to the source we're looking for..."

"Oh... I just remembered!" Fuuka exclaimed, causing everyone to look at her. "There's something I have to tell you all! Remember the machinery and documents Mitsuru-sempai found? I looked into them, and it turns out they were things that the Chairman hid when he was still alive... Most of them were from the accident 10 years ago, so he must have hid them so they wouldn't be destroyed. Some of the notes I found are definitely talking about the Abyss of Time..."

"Is that true?" Akihiko demanded. Everyone had mixed feelings for this latest development: on one hand, they were getting closer to the truth. On the other hand it was becoming apparent that, even though Nyx was stopped there was still too much damage left behind by the entire Dark Hour affair that it was impossible to simply close the lid on it.

"We may be close to discovering what this place really is," Fuuka declared.

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Iwatodai Dorm  
Command Room

Yukari stared hard at the bookcases in front of her. The books seemed to be staring right back at her, mocking her.

When she told Shinji that she wanted to do a little probing of Red Hawk and Black Condor's true identities, he'd suggested to check the bookcases in the Command Room.

When she asked him _why _he just shrugged. Well, it wasn't as if she had any better ideas where to look. Heck, she didn't even have a lead. All she had was her gut feelings... and the constant nagging voice that told her she'd forgotten something important.

There are seven Doors in the Desert, and they've already cleared five of them. There were two areas left to explore... she'd shouted that they still had a long way to go but actually they were getting pretty close to the deepest part of the Abyss. The SEES members' sense of teamwork was in shambles. And there was still the black silhouette that randomly appeared, and Black Condor's vow to return and do battle with them again - not to mention they still had to unveil two more painful pasts... Yukari didn't know if they could take anymore. She was also grimly amused that no one in the team was going mad from this never-ending day they were forced to experience yet.

She sighed and reached out for a book in the shelf, and pulled it out with little difficulty. The deep blue hardcover was not too old, and its spine was only slightly dusty. Did sombody already touch this book? She flipped it over to read the title, which read: _"Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivations"._

Yukari wasn't familiar with the terms, so she looked up and skimmed the titles of the other books on the shelf. There was _"Motivational Theories", "The Bystander Effect", "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs", "Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders", "Perception"..._ Yukari still had a year of highschool left, but she was pretty sure the entire bookshelf was dedicated to the field of psychology in general.

She still wasn't sure how reading these books could help her discover the Feathermen's identities, but it didn't hurt to try. She had nothing better to do, anyways - Fuuka was still working on those old documents hidden by Ikutsuki, and Mitsuru was helping her; the others were busy doing their own things as well. There was nobody she felt like talking to about her suspicions. ...And she kind of wanted to avoid crossing paths with Akihiko right now. So she pulled out some more random books and sat down in one of the cushioned armchairs to relax and prepare herself to read.

The first book she opened bored her to death. So did the second one, and the third one. It all felt like a chore to the bow-user. Fuuka and Mitsuru were definitely better at this researching thing (not to mention more patient) than she was...

After about an hour, Yukari finally put her fifth book down and rubbed at her temples. Maybe she was going at this all wrong... reading random passages in random psychology books was quickly becoming a fool's errand - especially since she had no idea what to look for in the first place! Again, she silently wished for Fuuka's help-

Yukari pushed the other books away in a huff and picked up a book called "_The Basics of Sigmund Freud". _She figured that, if she seriously wanted to pursue this psychological angle, she might as well start from the basics... and Freud was the best place to start, right? Since he was the one who revolutionized pschology and everything.

"Psychoanalysis... The Unconscious... Id, Ego and Superego... Dreams... Psychotherapy...," she read the table of contents aloud in a bored tone.

At that point in time, Yukari was completely unaware of the shocking revelations she was going to have as she read through the book...

_"According to Freud's Psychoanalytic Theory, personality is composed of three elements - Id, Ego and Superego"..._

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Iwatodai Dorms  
Mitsuru's Room

"Mitsuru, can I talk to you for a bit?"

Mitsuru whipped her head up in surprise to see Akihiko lounging in her room doorway, leaning against the doorjamb. "Akihiko," she began. "You startled me."

Akihiko looked relaxed, but he was very alert, scanning her face for any traces of stress or fatigue, or any indication at all that he shouldn't pursue what he wanted to do. There were no such telltale signs on Mitsuru's face, he concluded, but still he decided to put off his plan for any signs until the last minute.

Acting on autopilot, she rose from her couch, about to greet him in the customary Kirijo way and offer him a drink when Akihiko put up his gloved hands, stopping her. "It's okay, I don't plan on staying for that long, anyways."

"In that case..." Mitsuru gestured for him to sit on the couch, and they both settled down.

Akihiko mused to himself, now what? He knew what he wanted to ask, but in light of the recent vision of the past the SEES team watched in the Abyss, he'd thought that maybe, instead of just getting straight to the point he could try to be considerate of his friend's feelings and... start some small talk so he could lead up to it. But, conversation was not his strongest suit...

When he happened to glance at Mitsuru again however, he did not see an innocent princess despairing over her glorified father. He saw a business woman, a woman who wasn't afraid of a lot of things. He saw his teammate, emotionally hardened after fighting Shadows for so long.

So he threw all of his previous notions of avoiding the topic he wanted to discuss out the window. Besides, that kind of defensive approach wasn't his style. In and out of the boxing ring, It was second nature for him to come out ready to swing, without hesitation, no matter who his opponent was.

"Mitsuru, I came here to talk about our engagement."

Mitsuru merely smiled at his brute-forcing. "I was hoping I could talk to you about that, as well."

Akihiko pushed on,"Your... father planned for this beforehand to protect you from any decisions you wouldn't want to make about the Kirijo Group's future. And I agreed to it, willingly, because I wanted to protect you, too."

"And I have already broken ties with my first fiance, the son of the CEO of one of our rivaling companies." Mitsuru nodded once. "Is there anything you would like to address before we formally announce our engagement? As you know, only a few trusted members of my family are aware of my father's contract's conditions... and your involvement. With a bit of legal work..."

"No, there aren't any problems."

Mitsuru could be patient when she wanted to. This was one of those times, Akihiko realized, and he was really grateful to her for that.

"I just wanted to... to talk to you about it, that's all."

"I suppose the fact that you're marrying me right after we graduate from college still hasn't sunk in yet?" Mitsuru took a deep breath. "Because I can hardly believe it myself. I've always imagined myself moving far away, pursuing my own career..."

"I bet you almost nobody in the Group will take the news positively," Akihiko quipped dryly. "And the media will have a field day with this."

"Frankly, I could care less about the old men of the Board of Directors. All they do is complain."

...And in the end, he _still _couldn't bring up the topic that he wanted to discuss, Akihiko thought wryly to himself.

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Iwatodai Dorms  
Fuuka's Room

The six journals belonging to Amida Katsuragi were spread out on the surface of her bed. Fuuka was already done looking through the old documents Mitsuru dug up for her; now all she needed to do was store said documents and these journals away as official Dark Hour related effects in some safe box somewhere and seal them away for good. To close the lid on the entire thing for good.

To be more precise, the first five journals contained the actual documentary about the experiment carried out 10 years ago, with the occasional sentence or two that relayed Amida Katsuragi's personal thoughts. The sixth journal was more like a diary for it's lack of any information related to the experiment and was simply filled with frightened, despaired thoughts.

Fuuka felt a sense of duty as she prepared to pack the journals away - it was like a funeral of sorts, like she was trying to lay the poor mother/scientist to rest by burying away her journals, never to be opened again.

"Fuuka-san, can I come in?" Red Hawk appeared at her doorway.

"Hello, Hawk-san, is there anything I can do for you?" Fuuka felt her heart skip a beat when she looked up at his face - his entire face. She still felt disconcerted whenever she saw it; Fuuka was accustomed to having his face covered completely by his helmet and seeing him like this - an almost exact copy of Akihiko's face - just felt... _wrong_.

"Won't you have a seat? I'll get the tea on for you."

"No need." Red Hawk simply approached where she sat on her rug and held out a familiar notebook to her. "...I hope this helps Sensei and everyone to reach the truth... because I have a feeling that I won't be present when you guys do."

Confused, Fuuka took the notebook from him without thinking on it. "What is this notebook for? Why are you saying these things? What do you mean, 'you won't be around when we find the truth'? And giving this to me, instead of Shinjiro-sempai... is... oh my gosh...!" She gasped as she looked it over.

It was extremely similar to the journals she was just starting to pack away! Fuuka gasped again as she read the label - _'Logbook #7 - Katsuragi Amida. _She read it aloud a few times, trying to grasp the fact she was holding another journal - one that she'd never seen before, either.

"R-R-Red Hawk, where did you get thi-?!" When Fuuka looked up, he was already gone. She immediately opened the journal to the first page - it was blank. She quickly flipped through all of the pages...

Blank, blank, blank. All of the pages were blank.

Fuka flipped all the way to the end - and gasped again.

There was a terrifying, dark red stain on the back cover.

Questions quickly flooded into her head: What was this stain? Blood? Why were all the pages blank? Were any of the pages ripped out - hence the lack of anything substantial? Logbook # 6 should've been the last one, so how was it possible for her to be holding Logbook #7 in her hands as she did now? Why was it given to her? Why did it exist in the first place?

And most importantly, why did Red Hawk have this notebook in his possession to begin with? Did he always have this journal with him, or did he pick it up only recently?

Fuuka surged to her feet. She had decided that she was going to have a talk with Red Hawk about this. And she wouldn't allow him to turn her away or to avoid her questions.

* * *

March 31, 2010  
Shinjiro's Room

The cooking knife's blade glinted eerily under his desk lamp light. Shinjiro stared at it for a moment with morbid fascination. He felt...nervous. And dread, at the very pit of his stomach. Was this how suicide victims felt when they attempted to cut themselves for the first time ever?

Shinjiro had stripped himself of his jacket and polo shirt so he wouldn't have to explain any bloodstains that might've found their way on his uniform if he'd kept it on. He'd made sure his door was locked, and decided to move as quietly as he could.

The blade was definitely sharp - it was brand new, actually - something he'd bought for himself long before this whole Abyss of Time situation ever began. But he'd never gotten the chance to test it out.

Until now.

What Shinjiro was about to attempt to do was most definitely a stupid stunt. There existed no reason good enough that could justify slashing your arm with a cooking knife-

But he'd already made it to his point, so...

There was no turning back.

Shinjiro swallowed hard. This was so stupid... He had to go through with this. He had to, he told himself again and again.

Because he no longer felt hunger or thirst. He couldn't sleep, even though he was already so tired.

And he no longer felt any physical pain.

With each "day" that passed, Shinji grew _frightened _of his condition. He'd realized long ago that this condition of his wasn't normal.

Was this what it felt like to be... dead?

He needed proof that he wasn't going crazy, that he actually existed, that he wasn't already _dead _and just some ghost, fooling everybody and himself. He needed proof that he was _alive_. ...And what better proof than the sight of his own blood, right?

Right... irrefutable proof...

It still sounded really, really stupid.

There was no turning back.

So he tightened his grip on the knife's wooden handle and gently rested the blade's edge on his forearm. He braced himself... and then, without any hesitation, pushed the the blade's edge right down into his skin, creating a long, thin cut. The blood was already starting to flow out-

Shinjiro inhaled sharply - not because he was in pain, but because of the lack of it.

There was blood, threatening to spill if he removed the knife blade but there was no pain.

No pain. No pain, only the telltale trickle of blood.

Why? Why? Why wasn't there any pain? He questioned himself.

And yet...

Shinjiro was, in fact, in deep pain - There was pressure around his chest, and a prickling sensation in his heart. Was it physical pain, or emotional?

...

...

..._A bigger wound. Maybe if he'd made a bigger wound on his arm- _was the terrible yet seductve whisper he heard in his head.

He couldn't stop there. He had to try harder...

...

...

...But no matter how many times he slashed his arm, he couldn't feel anything. And the uncomfortable pressure in his chest worsened.

With an angry, strained growl he hurled the now-bloodied cooking knife across the bedroom. It hit the wall and clattered loudly to the floor with a metalic _twang. _It was the sound of steel ringing that really drove home the pitiful state he was in at the moment. He covered his face with his blood-stained hands and opened his mouth in a silent, anguished cry that seemed to come from the bottom of his heart.

Five minutes later, he was lying on the wooden floor in a fetal position, sobbing "her" name.

* * *

A/N: The hardest part to write was... Shinji's scenes of self harm -_- . I'm not happy with it at all. But I didn't want to keep you guys waiting any longer! Scenes of self-harm are hard for me to write! I wouldn't want anyone to do this in real life, you see, so I'm kinda emotional. And I'm a total weak sauce when it comes to graphic scenes like those so sorry for the vagueness! -_-


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